Why Impostor Syndrome?
Small Interventions, Big Results
Over the past 18 years, I’ve worked with many brilliant, capable people who still quietly wonder, “Am I really supposed to be here?”
In workshops and coaching sessions, Impostor Syndrome kept showing up. High-achievers afraid of being found out. Leaders are overworking to “earn” their seat at the table. People avoiding visibility for fear they’d be exposed.
So, after years of developing my own material and delivering Impostor Syndrome workshops and coaching, I went to the well and had the honor of being mentored by Dr. Valerie Young, the world’s leading expert on Impostor Syndrome and the creator of the “Five Types.” Her mentorship gave me a research-backed framework to combine with my own experience as a coach. Now, I help individuals and organizations not just relieve the painful symptoms, but unlock the brilliance that’s been hiding underneath.
Why I’m Focusing on Impostor Syndrome
Four key reasons led me to make this work central to my coaching and speaking:
1. It’s ubiquitous: Up to 84% of employees experience impostor feelings at some point in their career. This isn’t a niche challenge—it’s a silent epidemic that touches nearly everyone at one time or another.
2. It’s invisible by nature: People experiencing Impostor Syndrome work hard to hide it. On the outside, they look confident and competent. Inside, they’re overthinking, overworking, and waiting to be “found out.” Leaders and peers often don’t see it until it shows up as burnout, disengagement, or turnover.
3. It’s both an individual and organizational problem: Most people think Impostor Syndrome is an individual issue—something employees need to “fix” on their own. And yes, it causes very real personal suffering: anxiety, self-doubt, and silent worry. “But it also impacts organizations in powerful ways, driving behaviors that lead to lost innovation, reduced productivity, weakened talent pipelines, and a direct hit to the bottom line.”
4. A small intervention can have a big impact: Here’s the hopeful part: when people are given language, tools, and support, the shift is immediate and profound. With the right intervention—like a focused workshop or coaching session—self-doubt turns into self-awareness, disengagement turns into ownership, and hidden brilliance finally comes forward.
The Payoff
This isn’t just about reducing suffering. It’s about unleashing brilliance for individuals, for teams, and for entire organizations.
If you’ve seen Impostor Syndrome at work in yourself, on your team, or across your company remember: small interventions can create big results.
