When the Impostor Voice Speaks: Turn Doubt into Direction

Most of us know the voice. It whispers: “You don’t really belong here. They’ll find out you’re not good enough.” It tends to appear at pivotal moments - stepping into a new role, giving a presentation, or even celebrating a success you’ve worked hard to achieve.

This is the impostor experience, and despite its name, it isn’t rare. It affects people across industries, from early-career professionals to seasoned leaders. Indeed, when researching the impostor experience for my book, I found that research suggests 70% of adults experience it at some point in their lives, often associated with work they care about.

And here’s the twist I wasn't expecting to find amongst the research: the impostor voice isn’t always a problem to be eradicated. Sometimes it’s a clue, and there may even be parts of it that are worth keeping.

The Standard Narrative vs. a Different Lens

We often hear about impostor syndrome as a pathology: something that holds us back, feeds anxiety, or signals a lack of confidence. That framing has value, but it also misses something crucial.

In my work and in What Matters to You, I suggest a different lens. Instead of treating impostor feelings as a flaw, we can view them as signals that we’ve stepped into territory that matters deeply to us.

Think about it: you rarely feel like an impostor doing something trivial. The voice doesn’t usually appear when you’re stacking the dishwasher or answering routine emails. It shows up when the stakes feel high - when you’re speaking in public, taking on a leadership role, or moving into new territory where your values are on the line.

Values Behind the Voice

The impostor experience is often less about fraudulence and more about values colliding with vulnerability.

• If you value contribution, you may fear that you won’t truly make a difference.

• If you value growth, you may worry that you can’t stretch far enough to meet the challenge.

• If you value integrity, you may feel exposed, as though others will discover you don’t live up to your own high standards.

Seen through this lens, impostor feelings are not a verdict on your inadequacy but a reflection of what you care about most.

In What Matters to You, I tell the story of a senior executive who confided that every time she entered the boardroom, she felt like a fraud. Her turning point came when she realised those feelings weren’t proof she didn’t belong - they were proof that she cared about doing right by her team and her organisation. The value of responsibility was speaking loudly to her, disguised as self-doubt.

Another example came from an artist who admitted that success made her feel like she was tricking people. When she looked deeper, she discovered the impostor voice was tied to her value of authenticity - a fear that the work she produced wouldn’t reflect her true self. Naming that value helped her reconnect with her creative process on her own terms.

Alongside this, I also learnt that people who experience impostor feelings often outperform those who don’t. The self-doubt is frequently paired with humility and a strong drive to keep learning and striving. Colleagues, in turn, tend to rate these individuals as better collaborators—valued teammates who help raise the bar for everyone. The trick is to notice the thought, “I’m a phony,” and recognise it not as proof of ineptitude, but as the voice of a caring mind whose values fuel growth and motivation to do better. This gets at the heart of harnessing the impostor phenomenon, without succumbing to it. As for how to do this? Led by your values.

Three Shifts That Help

Rather than trying to silence your impostor voice, you can work with it. Here are three shifts that turn doubt into direction:

1. Ask what value is speaking. Next time the voice shows up, pause. Instead of asking “What’s wrong with me?” or going looking for evidence for aptitude or ineptitude, ask, “What’s at stake here that matters to me?”

   Identifying the value underneath that matters to you - be it persistence, contribution, or authenticity - and that is helping motivate you to do better, can transform the feeling into information you can use.

2. Act on the value, not the voice. You can’t always control how you feel, but you can choose how you act. If impostor thoughts appear before presenting in a meeting, notice the underlying value (say, “sharing knowledge that helps others”) and commit to behaving in line with that. The feelings may linger, but your actions stay anchored in what matters.

3. Reframe doubt as care. Instead of hearing “I don’t belong,” experiment with hearing “I care deeply.” That simple reframe softens the edge of impostor feelings and connects you back to the bigger picture of why you’re showing up in the first place.

Why It Matters at Work and Beyond

In workplaces, leaders often assume that impostor feelings signal weakness or lack of readiness. Further, when a leader feels like a phoney, it can compound feelings of loneliness, which are already a common part of the leader's journey.

But reframing such feelings as values-driven signals changes the conversation. It allows people to normalise the experience, identify their guiding values, and step forward with clarity rather than paralysis.

On a personal level, this approach can be freeing. You don’t need to eradicate the impostor voice. You only need to understand what it’s pointing to - and then let your values, not your doubts, shape your next step.

The Quiet Power of Listening Differently

The impostor voice may never disappear entirely. Over time, I hope that your objective can shift from eradicating it to understanding it. Because perhaps eradication is the wrong goal.

Instead, the invitation is to listen differently. To hear the whisper not as evidence that you don’t belong, but as a reminder that you care - that you’re in territory that matters deeply.

When you let values lead, the impostor voice becomes less of a barrier and more of a compass. It points you back to what really counts. And that, ultimately, is where true belonging lies.