The Imposter Within: How to Break Free
At The Change Republic, I recently spoke with a client who felt paralysed by the fear of being “found out” as unqualified. Imposter syndrome can trap us in a cycle of self-doubt, making it seem like every tiny slip-up might expose us as a fraud.
Surprisingly, this isn’t always about skill. Often, it’s the stories we tell ourselves—comparing our work to others, dwelling on small failures, or convincing ourselves we simply got lucky.
Nearly 70% of professionals—and up to 75% of female executives—experience imposter syndrome, the nagging fear of being exposed as a “fraud.”
How Imposter Syndrome Shows:
I have seen (and done!) this myself in these appearing in three main ways:
↳ Limiting Yourself: You stay silent because you are scared to be seen as incompetent
↳ Missing Opportunities: You avoid going for promotions because you don’t feel qualified
↳ Self-Sabotage: You undermine or dismiss your accomplishments – you think it’s not even worth mentioning.
Breaking Free from Imposter Syndrome
Think about it this way: instead of seeing these doubts as signs of weakness, you can flip them into opportunities to learn and grow.
Celebrating every little win, and talking openly about your experiences with people you trust, can actually turn that fear into real progress.
Want to hear a powerful story about someone who beat imposter syndrome? Take a look at the link below.
Read about how she battled imposter syndrome
AI Tools That Actually Save You Time (and Maybe Make You Nervous)
Forget endlessly searching and opening a million tabs! Deep research has become my new secret weapon for saving time. Perplexity's new feature only takes a few minutes, and you get an incredibly comprehensive analysis of all the online sources related to your topic.
I recently had a fun little experiment on the Italian real estate market in a specific southern coastal region of Tuscany, focusing on properties ripe for renovation (talk about niche!).
And wow! I now have detailed square meter prices, historical trends, and a list of dos and don'ts, all with precise citations.
And guess what? Just as I was putting this newsletter together, I heard that Anthropic dropped Claude 3.7 Sonnet—apparently, it's the best AI coding model in the world. If you haven't checked it out yet, Claude is seriously one of the most human-sounding generative AI tools I have ever used.
Why Claude 3.7 Sonnet Stands Out:
- Beyond writing and analysis, it's built to be agentic.
- It doesn't just react; it proactively acts based on data, context, and your specific needs.
- Think automating workflows and building interactive AI agents.
My first thought? "Uh oh, how long until I'm obsolete?" Turns out, I'm not the only one having these thoughts.
Read more about Claude 3.7 Sonnet
So, Is AI Making Imposter Syndrome Worse?
Following up on some of the stuff I shared about Davos WEF, I recently grabbed a coffee with a friend who works in marketing at a mid-sized company in Switzerland.
My WEF25 Davos Insights on AI @ Leadership
She admitted she's been struggling with imposter syndrome even more since AI tools started producing such perfect communications. All of a sudden, it feels like everyone else has the perfect thing to say, all the time.
The AI Paradox
We realized that relying on AI alone doesn’t guarantee a real connection. That old idea that a perfectly polished message is all you need to look competent? It's just not cutting it anymore.
Now, generative AI can produce entire speeches, perfectly structured emails, and even full campaign briefs in an instant.
Suddenly, it's easier than ever to appear polished—and that's exactly why so many leaders are feeling less confident.
But there’s a catch: polished isn’t always personal, and personal is what truly resonates.
The Real Problem with AI-Generated Perfection
The ability to express genuine empathy, clarity, and direction can’t simply be outsourced.
Leaders who already struggle with effective face-to-face communication also struggle with AI-driven messaging, because prompting AI requires clarity. If you can’t articulate your ideas well in person, you can’t guide AI to create authentic content.
My friend decided to double down on authenticity instead of trying to compete with the sheer volume of AI-generated content. She's now:
- Outlining her own personal insights first, including anecdotes and real challenges she's faced in her marketing role.
- Using AI to refine her voice, not replace it.
Her team noticed the difference right away—her messages feel real, even though AI helped with the editing.
Key Takeaway:
AI can polish your language, but it can't replace that human connection. Leaders who treat AI like a magic communication wand are going to fall short when that human element is missing.
Did you miss our last newsletters?
Inboxes can get a little crazy, right? Just in case you missed them, here are the links to our previous newsletters:
In the meantime, here is a peek at what you might have missed:
- Newsletter #2: We are offering a limited number of complimentary 60-minute executive coaching sessions! → LINK HERE
- Newsletter #1: I shared some tried and tested, favorite AI tools that can be a real game-changer for busy professionals. → LINK HERE
My pre-IWD gift for you
One more place available - International Women's Day gift for all genders:
60-Minute Complimentary Executive Coaching
Click on the button or simply reply to this email, and I’ll be in touch to schedule.
Thanks for reading. Just drop a quick reply if you have any feedback.
Wishing you a great weekend ahead.
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Warm regards,
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