Being in a leadership position can be daunting. This can result in what has been coined “leader impostorism,” or the belief that one is incompetent and will be exposed as a fraud. Although this experience can affect leaders personally, researchers (Wen et al., 2025) explore how these beliefs influence the way leaders treat their followers. They consider how impostor syndrome may have both beneficial and harmful outcomes.
LEADER IMPOSTORISM INFLUENCES FOLLOWERS
The researchers conducted two studies. The first study used online participants and the second study surveyed leaders and their followers in a Chinese hotel chain. Across both studies, the researchers found that leaders with higher levels of impostor syndrome were more likely to (1) see their followers as a threat, in turn undermining them, and (2) depend more on their followers, in turn offering greater support.
The different outcomes depended on the leader’s beliefs about power. When leaders held a lower power distance orientation (those who value equally shared power), impostorism served as a benefit, promoting self-reflection and collaboration. In contrast, when leaders held a higher power distance orientation (those who favor strict hierarchies), they were more likely to view their followers as potential threats to their authority.
PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS
Organizations should address impostor syndrome with their leaders to help them recognize and deal with their feelings. Further, the researchers suggest that providing leaders with frequent positive feedback about their strengths may help combat feelings of impostorism.
Interestingly, since impostorism can also have benefits (i.e., leaders may depend more on their followers), it could be leveraged as a way of adding teamwork, cooperation, or humility to the workplace. Lastly, building a culture of collaboration—rather than competition—can reduce the chances that leader impostorism will harm followers.
Wen, X., Liu, Z., Qiu, F., Leavitt, K., Wang, X., & Tang, Z. (2025). A power dependence model of the impact of leader impostorism on supervisor support and undermining: The moderating role of power distance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 110(7), 963–978.
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