Originally published in the American Bar Association
Law Practice Magazine, September/October 2025
What’s here
Many people experience Imposter Syndrome––the fear that they will be found out as a fraud, that they are not good enough. Learn how to mitigate feelings of Imposter Syndrome through the Actualized Leader Framework.
- Learn what Imposter Syndrome is and how leadership shadows unconsciously reinforce imposter syndrome thinking.
- Discover how your Actualized Leader Profile reveals your vulnerability to specific Imposter Syndrome triggers.
- Develop your strategy for replacing Imposter Syndrome with confidence.
“I don’t belong here. Everyone else is so much smarter.”
“I’m a total fraud and they’re about to find out.”
If these thoughts sound familiar, you’re not alone. Many professionals, experience Imposter Syndrome.
Imposter Syndrome isn’t simply a lack of confidence. Imposter Syndrome is a pattern of thinking in which a person doubts himself and harbors persistent fears of being exposed as a fraud despite objective evidence to the contrary. Certain professionals, such lawyers, doctors, and engineers, face unique vulnerabilities in this regard due the nature of their work. They rely on their intellect for success, potentially rendering even the smallest mistake or oversight evidence of the person’s greatest fear:
I am not good enough.
The persistent messaging that mistakes are unacceptable and even life-threatening, potentially damaging the person’s reputation, even triggering an ethics complaint or malpractice claim, reinforces feeling of inadequacy or fraud. Further exacerbating the culture of perfectionism are how more senior professionals, who themselves may suffer from Imposter Syndrome, exhibit intolerance for mistakes and seem to constantly scrutinize or fear that even the smallest mistake will be catastrophic. All this creates an environment in which even the most accomplished professional can question his own competence.
Often debilitating
Imposter Syndrome is usually more debilitating with less experienced professionals because they don’t have the grounded perspective or strategies for overcoming Imposter Syndrome. Add the fact that law, medical, and other professional schools typically do a poor job of preparing young professionals for practice.
Compounding the feelings of being thrown into the deep end is the reality that busy, more senior professionals often struggle to make time to teach and mentor. Add that newly minted professionals often answer to numerous more senior people, each of whom have different work styles, and you’ve just amplified Imposter Syndrome. Often overwhelmed, young professionals, who haven’t yet mastered juggling multiple projects, get behind and deliver poor work product, which reinforces the fear that they “don’t belong here.”
Imposter Syndrome isn’t just for first-year professionals. Even the most experienced professional can experience Imposter Syndrome.
Imposter Syndrome
Through the Lens of Actualized Leadership
Follow these nine steps to give your team member the best chance of putting your feedback to good use, improving performance while reducing your own and the colleague’s frustration.
- Abraham Maslow theorized about self-actualization, the notion that a person can live to their full potential by thinking objectively about everything, including oneself, one’s thinking and the situation.
- Carl Jung’s seminal work provides the foundation for the “shadow,” which is embedded in a person’s subconscious, triggered by stress and fueled by negative emotions such as fear, anger and jealousy.
- Viktor Frankl’s notion of paradoxical intention is the idea that the more a person fears an outcome, the more likely the person is to think, feel and act in a way that is almost guaranteed to bring about the very experience feared.
- David McClelland’s theory of human motivation identifies affiliation, power and achievement as the three drives that all people possess and is the basis of Dr. Sparks’ three leadership styles. Find out which is your primary style via this short-form leadership assessment.
- How the Affirmer Shadow, Fear of Rejection, Amplifies Imposter Syndrome
For Affirmers, those strongly driven by affiliation, the shadow is Fear of Rejection. Imposter Syndrome can manifest as thoughts of not belonging and not deserving. Typical shadow thinking includes: “What makes me think I can ask for this project, compensation or recognition?” Thus, Affirmers may struggle to own their achievements, minimize accomplishments to maintain relationships and experience difficulty standing out for fear of alienating others. They’re also particularly susceptible to the “people-pleasing” version of Imposter Syndrome, which includes difficulty saying “no,” asking uncomfortable questions, conflict avoidance, over apologizing, taking on too much responsibility and constantly seeking validation. Success often feels undeserved because it must have come at someone else’s expense, and that is unpalatable. - How the Asserter Shadow, Fear of Betrayal, Amplifies Imposter Syndrome
Asserters, those strongly driven by power, control and the ability to drive results, experience Imposter Syndrome differently. Their shadow emerges as Fear of Betrayal or vulnerability. Thus, for Asserters, admitting uncertainty or asking for help feels dangerous because doing so might expose them as not being the strong, capable professional others expect. Professionals who are strong Asserters may double down on doing work themselves rather than risk exposure through collaboration. They struggle with the vulnerability required to acknowledge limitations, leading to isolation and increased self-doubt about their capabilities. They can also be defensive and blame others. - How the Achiever Shadow, Fear of Failure, Amplifies Imposter Syndrome
Achievers, those strongly driven to win through technical expertise, experience Imposter Syndrome through the lens of perfectionism and fear of not measuring up. Their internal critic demands technical perfection, and any mistake becomes evidence of fundamental inadequacy. These professionals often become paralyzed by the fear of making decisions incorrectly, leading to over-preparation and procrastination. They attribute success to luck or help from others while viewing setbacks as confirmation of their incompetence.
Breaking the Cycle: How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome
If imposter syndrome through the lens of any of the shadows sounded familiar, know that you can overcome it.
- Identify stressful situations. This is where Imposter Syndrome and your shadows will show up. It could be public speaking, a specific challenging task, or meeting with a particular client or colleague.
- Determine which fears are triggered. Clarify which of the three shadows (and it could be more than one) are triggered and how your shadow thinking is amplifying feelings of Imposter Syndrome.
- Create an empowering mindset. It’s not enough to merely stop thinking that you are a fraud, about to be exposed. You must proactively replace Imposter Syndrome with empowered thinking. Challenge imposter thoughts with objective evidence. Keep a “smile file” documenting successful outcomes, positive client feedback, and peer recognition. When Imposter Syndrome strikes, consult this objective evidence of your skills and accomplishments.
- Develop your preemptive strategy. Now that you are familiar with your triggers and can distinguish your shadow-infused imposter thinking, ask yourself, “What can I do to dial back feelings of Imposter Syndrome?” Consider the following: identify your people-pleasing behaviors and prepare an alternative response; determine when you need help and ask for it; catch yourself before you blame others or become defensive; and commit to excellence, not perfection.
