When Leaders Get Imposter Syndrome
Rallying the troops when you feel exhausted and stressed is a recipe for self doubt. Here’s how to fight it.
When Prince Albert, the second son of King George V, was called on unexpectedly to take over the throne after his brother’s abrupt abdication, no one told him to “just be yourself.” He had a severe stutter, and it was the 1930s when radio broadcasts were becoming an important channel of communications from the royal family. As depicted in “The King’s Speech,” the Academy Award-winning film on the subject, Prince Albert was neither eager nor prepared to ascend to the throne and take on such a public-facing role. Yet he managed to step up to the task at hand when it crucially mattered for the country.
The truth is that all leaders are people, too, and like everyone else, they are exhausted, stressed, frightened, and unsure of the best path forward. But a leader wields power and is responsible for the outcomes of others. And especially in a time of crisis and uncertainty, people are looking to leaders for security. To be effective, you must play the part and act like the leader that everyone needs you to be.
The key is to find a way to bridge the gap between your authentic self, the you that needs…
