If you have ever stepped up to speak and thought, “Who am I to be talking about this?”, you are in very good company. In fact, those moments of doubt often show up most strongly in people who are highly capable, hard-working, and quietly ambitious. I see this pattern over and over in my coaching work. People who look confident and accomplished from the outside are often battling a very different story on the inside.
And for many of them, that inner story is Imposter Syndrome.
Imposter Syndrome explained
Research suggests that around 70 per cent of people will experience Imposter Syndrome at some point in their lives. That number does not surprise me at all.
One of my clients described her experience vividly. After a recent promotion, she could not shake the belief that she did not deserve it. Every time her manager asked to see her, she was convinced he had finally discovered the mistake they had made in choosing her. Yet the opposite happened. He regularly told her how delighted he was with her work.
She found this both stressful and confusing. She was certain she was falling short. He was certain she was excelling. She had never heard of Imposter Syndrome, but the moment she learned about it, she recognised herself straight away.
Her experience captures the two defining features of Imposter Syndrome.
- Feeling you are not worthy of your achievements and believing they can be explained by luck, timing, or a misunderstanding.
- A persistent fear of being exposed as a fraud.
There are conflicting statistics about how many people fear public speaking, but we know the fear is common. And in my experience, there is a significant overlap between people who feel like imposters and people who dread standing in front of an audience.
How Imposter Syndrome Shows Up in Public Speaking
I see Imposter Syndrome play out in public speaking so often that I now assume it is part of the story for many people. Clients tell me they worry about things like:
“I am not sure why I have been asked to speak on this subject”
“There are people in the audience who know far more than I do”
“They are going to see that I am not really an expert”
“What if they ask me something I cannot answer?”
If you constantly question whether you deserve to be there, of course, you will feel nervous. And if you are nervous, you might worry that people will judge you, which only reinforces the belief that you are somehow not credible enough.
It is a vicious cycle for anyone who secretly believes they have slipped through the cracks and must not be found out.
What You Can Do About It
Valerie Young’s TED talk on Imposter Syndrome (which is funny, warm, and very practical) offers excellent strategies for getting out of this spiral.
Valerie is clear that simply talking about Imposter Syndrome is not enough. You have to actively reframe your thinking.
Let’s apply her ideas to public speaking.
Instead of thinking, “I am not the most qualified person in the room”, you might remind yourself that you were asked to speak because your perspective or experience is valuable. Expertise is not a competition. Your contribution does not become less important simply because someone else knows more.
If you worry about being asked difficult questions, preparation can be your ally. Predicting likely questions is one strategy I teach every client. Once you have prepared, you can remind yourself that you are ready.
Valerie also notes that people often want a quick fix, but overcoming Imposter Syndrome requires practice. The same is true of public speaking. If you are already battling self-doubt, it will take time. But improvement is inevitable with consistent practice.
Finally, she says something that resonates deeply with my clients. Our feelings are the last thing to change. We have to act more confidently first. Eventually, the feeling follows.
This is why I often tell clients to fake it until you feel it. Confident speakers use gestures naturally, hold eye contact, pause effectively, and move with purpose. These skills are learnable. You can present as a confident speaker long before you feel confident inside. And in time, your inner confidence will catch up.
My Own Experience as an Imposter
I know this territory well. I was promoted to a management role in my twenties before I felt ready. I understand now that what earned me that role was not being fully formed as a manager. It was my attitude, potential, and work ethic. My organisation believed in what I could become. I wish I had understood that at the time.
And even now, I occasionally fall into the trap of thinking, “I am not the expert on this”. I coach people with a fear of public speaking. I am also a very good speaker – but I am not a professional speaker.
Then I remind myself that being a brilliant speaker is not the same as being a brilliant coach. The reason I am good at what I do is precisely because I used to be so fearful. I know what it feels like to panic at the thought of speaking. That lived experience is part of what shaped the course I now teach.
A Final Thought
A Toastmasters Magazine article on Imposter Syndrome ends with a helpful reminder.
“Do not confuse being the expert with being an expert. There is plenty of room for many experts on the same topic.”
It is such a simple idea. You do not need to be the only expert to deserve your place at the front of the room. You simply need to bring your knowledge, your perspective, and your willingness to help your audience. That is more than enough.
