Many people are familiar with impostor syndrome, particularly in psychological and social contexts. However, a new report released June 6 from organizational consulting firm Korn Ferry highlights the concept's prevalence among CEOs in the U.S.
The report, informed by a survey of 10,000 global employees, found 71% of CEOs in this country experience symptoms of impostor syndrome in their role. It also found that other senior executives (65%) are more likely than early-stage professionals (33%) to show signs of impostor syndrome.
"They were well prepared for the CEO position but felt inadequate when they entered their seat," Mark Arian, CEO of Korn Ferry Consulting, said, according to Bloomberg News. He added that leaders of late have been coping with supply chain disruptions, inflation and other stressors.
The feelings of self-doubt contrast with how executives feel about their success and competence in their ability to do their job, Korn Ferry noted. The survey showed 85% of CEOs reported feeling completely competent in the role.
Impostor syndrome is defined by Merriam-Webster as "a psychological condition that is characterized by persistent doubt concerning one's abilities or accomplishments accompanied by the fear of being exposed as a fraud despite evidence of one's ongoing success."
Researchers Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Ament Imes first explored the concept in 1978, and they defined it as not experiencing "an internal sense of success," or believing your peers are overestimating your intelligence, according to Bloomberg News.
The researchers focused on impostor syndrome among women. However, an article posted on the website of Belmont, Mass.-based McLean Hospital, a psychiatric hospital affiliated with Harvard Medical School in Boston, noted it can affect different genders and settings.
Jandel Allen-Davis, MD, president and CEO of Craig Hospital in Denver, told Becker's in 2023 that the largest challenge in fighting impostor syndrome "is to try to see ourselves how the world sees us and truly believe that the successes we've had really did have something to do with us, while also being cautious to not view ourselves through an egocentric lens that can have one constantly wondering if they are doing the job well, instead of just doing the job."
Other executives weighed in on the issue in a separate Becker's article last year. Read more about how they manage their impostor syndrome and their tips for organizations on addressing it here.