By Helen Woodward
Last week I received an unsolicited invitation to pay for a webinar on supporting coaching clients with ‘Imposter Syndrome.’ The promotional materials included a deliberately alarming list of its supposed mental and physical consequences—implying that, unless I paid up for their assessment tool and resources, I’d be failing my clients.
I considered replying that none of my clients have ‘Imposter Syndrome’ as it doesn’t exist. Instead, I decided to sketch out my take on this mythical condition.
Is It Really a ‘Syndrome’?
There are plenty of posts about imposter syndrome—that nagging feeling that we aren’t good enough, that we’ll be “found out” as frauds.
Recently, a coachee told me she thought she had imposter syndrome. I asked:
“What does that mean to you?”
“Where does ‘imposter syndrome’ exist?”
She hesitated before answering:
“In my head. Well… actually, my previous coach said she thought I had it.”
The dominant narrative tells us to silence these doubts—that they’re irrational, that we may need help because we’re broken in some way, and that we should confidently embrace our expertise.
But what if the real problem isn’t “imposter syndrome” at all?
What if self-doubt is actually a sign of intelligence, reflective practice, emotional awareness, and honest self-assessment?
The Power of Self-Assessment
Daniel Goleman, in his work on emotional intelligence, emphasises the importance of self-awareness and self-assessment—knowing our true abilities and limitations. He describes those skilled in self-assessment as:
✔️ Aware of their strengths and limitations
✔️ Reflective and open to learning from experience
✔️ Receptive to feedback, new perspectives, and continuous growth
At the same time, the Dunning-Kruger effect shows that those who are least competent tend to overestimate their abilities, while those who are highly competent tend to underestimate themselves. In this light, what we call “imposter syndrome” might actually be a rational, reality-based response to complexity.
When Doubt is a Strength
Instead of treating self-doubt as a pathology, we can pause and notice it. What questions might help us develop? Questioning your abilities isn’t necessarily a flaw—it can indicate that:
✅ You’re thinking critically rather than blindly assuming competence.
✅ You’re aware of what you don’t know and committed to learning.
✅ You value growth over ego, staying open to mastery rather than claiming it prematurely.
Meanwhile, those who never experience self-doubt may not be more competent—they may just be less self-aware and less engaged in reflective practice. High performers often experience humility, self-doubt, and intellectual honesty precisely because they grasp the depth of what they don’t know.
Welcoming the Warming Fires of Self-Doubt
Poet and philosopher David Whyte offers a radically different perspective: rather than resisting self-doubt, we can welcome it as a refining force. He writes about standing in “the warming fires of self-doubt”—not as something to overcome, but as something to be transformed by.
Doubt, in this sense, is not an enemy but a necessary threshold into deeper understanding. It signals that we are on the edge of something meaningful, engaging in work that challenges us to expand. Instead of fearing these moments, we can recognise them as initiations into greater mastery and authenticity.
Coaching conversations
Ontology—the study of being—offers a powerful coaching perspective on self-doubt. Instead of pathologising the feeling, an ontological coach would explore the way of being that underpins the coachee’s experience.
An ontological coach might ask:
“What does ‘imposter syndrome’ mean to you? What’s the story around it?”
“What does ‘having imposter syndrome’ take care of for you? What does it open up? What does it close down?”
“When did it begin? What emotions are tied to the idea of ‘imposter syndrome’?”
“When you think about having ‘imposter syndrome,’ what happens physiologically? Can I invite you to show me how you stand when you’re in that state?”
An ontological coach listens deeply for where the coachee’s flow of life is being interrupted. With skilled questioning—always with permission and care—the coach may invite the coachee to notice how this belief impacts their ability to live and work as they’d like to.
By revisiting their story, shifting into a more resourceful mood space, and even embodying a different posture, a coachee can transform their relationship with doubt and step into a more empowered way of being.
The Problem With Overpathologising Self-Doubt
Labelling normal self-questioning as “imposter syndrome” discourages honest self-reflection. Instead of assuming that doubt is a distortion, we should ask:
Is my self-assessment accurate? Instead of silencing doubt, be curious about it.
Am I genuinely under-qualified, or am I just experiencing a learning curve?
What specific skills do I need to improve, and how can I work on them?
Rather than treating healthy humility as a disorder, we can embrace it as a sign of wisdom. Confidence without competence is far more dangerous than questioning yourself.
Reframing the Narrative
What if we stopped seeing self-doubt as a problem and started seeing it as an invitation? Instead of labelling it as “imposter syndrome,” we could recognise it as a natural, necessary fire that forges real expertise and deeper authenticity.
So here’s an invitation—let’s stop dismissing self-doubt as a syndrome and start recognising it as a potential indicator of self-awareness, integrity, and growth.
Recommended Reading:
For those interested in reading more about Ontological Coaching I recommend Alan Sieler’s books on Coaching to the Human Soul: Ontological Coaching and Deep Change.
Helen Woodward is a coach, consultant and advisor, specialising in leadership development. She works with startups, businesses and public sector organisations, providing:
- 1:1 Executive Leadership Coaching- 360 Leadership Diagnostics- Leadership Development Programmes and Workshops
You can contact Helen at https://www.helenmgconsulting.com, as well as connect through Linkedin.
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