Imposter Syndrome Has a Seat at the Table (But It Doesn't Get a Vote)

That Voice in the Meeting

Picture it. You just got promoted. You're sitting at the head of the conference table for the first time, coffee in hand, ready to lead your first team meeting or your first budget training session.

And then a little voice pipes up from somewhere behind your left ear: "Who put YOU in charge? Any minute now, someone's going to figure out you have no idea what you're doing."

If you've heard that voice, welcome. You're in very good company. That voice has a name: imposter syndrome. And here's the good news. It can sit at your table. It just doesn't get a vote.

What Imposter Syndrome Really Is

Imposter syndrome is the nagging belief that your success is a fluke, and that you'll be "found out" any day now. Psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes first described it in 1978, after working with more than 150 high-achieving women who doubted themselves despite clear success. They called it the "impostor phenomenon" on purpose. It isn't a diagnosis. It's a pattern of thinking.

And it's common. A 2020 review of 62 studies found that between 9% and 82% of people report imposter feelings, depending on how it's measured, and that men and women both experience it. So if you're worried you're not good enough, you're far from alone. That worry is often a sign that you care about doing the job well.

In other words, the voice isn't evidence that you don't belong. It's often a sign that you're growing into something bigger than your old comfort zone.

Why It Gets Loud in November

New leaders hear this voice more than anyone. You used to be judged on what you did. Now you're judged on what your team does, and that feels a lot less in your control.

Then November arrives and turns up the volume. Year-end numbers are due. Budgets and goals for next year are on the table. Performance reviews are coming. And somewhere between the Thanksgiving pie and the planning meeting, you start comparing yourself to every leader who seems to have it all figured out.

Spoiler: they don't. They've just had more practice ignoring the voice.

Give It a Seat, Take Away Its Vote

Most advice tells you to kick imposter syndrome out of the room. Good luck with that. It tends to come right back in through the side door, usually during your budget presentation.

In NLP, we take a different approach. Every part of us has a positive intention, even the annoying parts. That inner critic is usually trying to protect you from embarrassment or failure. It just has terrible people skills.

So instead of fighting it, we change your relationship with it. Here are three ways to do that:

Turn down the volume. Notice where the voice seems to come from and how it sounds. Now imagine it speaking slower, quieter, and farther away. Better yet, give it the voice of a cartoon character. It's hard to feel crushed by criticism delivered by a squeaky chipmunk.

Reframe the evidence. The voice says, "You don't know what you're doing." The reframe: "I don't know everything yet, and that's exactly what learning looks like." Same facts, completely different meaning.

Ask what it wants. Thank the voice for trying to help. Then ask, "What are you trying to protect me from?" Often the answer is useful, like "prepare more for Tuesday." Take the advice. Skip the drama.

The voice can offer input. You make the decisions. That's what leadership is.

Try This Before Thanksgiving

Start a "Proof File." Every day this month, write down one thing you handled well. A tough call, a smart decision, a thank-you from a team member. By Thanksgiving you'll have about 25 pieces of evidence that you belong at that table.

Build a confidence anchor. Remember a time you felt completely capable. See what you saw, hear what you heard, feel what you felt. When the feeling peaks, press your thumb and finger together. Repeat it a few times. Now you have a shortcut to that state before your next big meeting.

Talk to yourself like a coach. When you catch the critic talking, ask: "Would I say this to someone on my team?" If not, rewrite the sentence the way a good coach would say it.

Lead the Meeting, Not the Voice

The goal isn't to never feel doubt again. Even seasoned CEOs hear that voice now and then. The goal is to stop letting it run your meetings, your decisions, and your goals for next year.

If you're stepping into a new leadership role, or you're heading into 2027 with bigger goals than ever, you don't have to quiet the critic alone. In a free 2027 Leadership Clarity Session, we'll find out what your inner critic keeps saying, reframe it, and map out what you want to accomplish next year.

Book your free session with Karen or with Traci, and let's get your inner critic a smaller chair.

P.S. The voice may tell you that you're too busy to book a call. Kindly remind it that it doesn't get a vote.

Karen Freeman

Sources

Clance, P. R., & Imes, S. A. (1978). The Imposter Phenomenon in High Achieving Women: Dynamics and Therapeutic Intervention. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice, 15(3), 241–247.

Bravata, D. M., et al. (2020). Prevalence, Predictors, and Treatment of Impostor Syndrome: a Systematic Review. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 35(4), 1252–1275.