Why imposter syndrome is an asset for female leaders

Around International Women's Day, we often return to the same theme of imposter syndrome. The narrative tends to focus on "fixing women" – helping them speak up more, lean in harder, and doubt themselves less.

But what if we've been framing it wrong?

Women are increasingly stepping into senior marketing roles. The issue isn't self-esteem – women are already leading. What we should be focusing on is what kind of leadership is needed as the industry is reshaped by artificial intelligence (AI)?

Imposter syndrome is usually seen as an obstacle on the path to seniority. To me, it's a leadership asset. Feeling that you don't have all the answers keeps you asking better questions. And in a world where AI is influencing everything from headcount to martech investment in real time, that curiosity matters more than ever.

The confidence trap

Early in my career I worked in large tech organisations, and I probably didn't speak up as much as I could or should have. At the time, I didn't consciously label it as imposter syndrome. Being a female and often in the minority meant I didn't feel comfortable interrupting a conversation where everyone appeared to have the answers.

If I compare that to today, my confidence looks very different. Not because I suddenly know everything, but because I no longer see doubt as something to suppress. As leaders in meetings, there's often pressure to speak first, last, and loudest. To project certainty because you hold the senior seat. I've learned to do the opposite. 

Having a strong voice doesn't mean speaking most often. It means speaking with clarity and only when you have something genuinely valuable to contribute. That might look like asking, "What problem are we actually solving?" before debating which tools to use. It might mean pausing the room when the conversation becomes reactive. It might be inviting a quieter voice to contribute before decisions are made. 

In the conversations we're all having right now about AI – where hype can easily outpace strategy - that restraint is powerful.

AI has made certainty riskier than humility

The marketing industry is in one of its most complex eras in decades. AI is reshaping content creation, campaign optimisation, customer insight, and even organisational design. But beyond the experimentation phase, the strategy is changing. More organisations are asking harder questions about ROI. Where is AI genuinely improving performance? Which use cases are sustainable? 

No single marketing leader can out-expert a team of specialists in data, brand, performance, and AI tooling, and nor should they try to. As I've moved from individual contributor to manager and then leader, one thing has become abundantly clear: I don't have all the answers. More often than not, though, my team does.

If imposter syndrome keeps you in listening mode, that's intelligent leadership. The job isn't to have every answer, especially in a climate where the goalposts feel like they're constantly moving. The best leaders are those creating the conditions for the right answers to emerge.

Authentic leadership in a performance-obsessed industry

The temptation right now is to perform certainty. But for me, leadership isn't about performance. It's about being authentically you. People often ask themselves, "what kind of leader do I want to be?" But I think it's better to ask, "what kind of leader am I?"

If empathy is your authentic style, lead with it. Don't swap it for aggression because you think that's what the room expects. If you try to emulate someone else because you've read three leadership books, then cracks are bound to appear. Colleagues are remarkably good at spotting inauthenticity.

In times of uncertainty, the last thing people need is a false sense of security. We need to be ready to confront challenges, know what's realistic and adapt accordingly.

Thriving in the AI era

Earlier in my career, ambition was closely tied to traditional markers of success like title, progression, and achievement. Recently a colleague introduced me to a new way to frame success - through five forms of wealth: time, social, mental, physical, and financial. And I really subscribe to it.

If you're just surviving by constantly performing confidence, that's not sustainable leadership. We already know women in tech face higher attrition rates, with many citing work-life balance, and progression barriers.

Burned-out leaders don't build resilient strategies. For female leaders especially; patience, empathy, and the ability to tolerate uncertainty are strengths to lean into. I would argue there has never been a more important time in marketing to be reflective, listen to diverse perspectives, and remain open to change. 

Re-thinking the narrative

This International Women's Day, perhaps the conversation shouldn't be about eliminating imposter syndrome. AI will continue to evolve. Markets will shift. Technology will surprise us.

The leaders I most admire are those women and men who are comfortable not having all the answers – but committed to finding them. So don't mistake humility for weakness. In a world moving this fast, it may be your greatest advantage.