Leadership Insights
Why smart, successful professionals still doubt themselves
Wednesday 29th April 2026
Mike Mullins
You’re in a room full of capable people. You’ve earned your place. And yet a quiet voice says:
“At some point, they’re going to realise I don’t really belong here.”
I see this a lot working as an executive coach with senior leaders across professional services: consulting, law, engineering and accounting.
It’s often labelled “imposter syndrome”.
But in my experience, it’s something more specific: It’s not a lack of capability. It’s a misinterpretation of what capability should feel like.
Professional services firms create a very particular environment:
• Constant benchmarking against high achievers
• Promotion based on stretching beyond your current capability
• Exposure to ambiguity, client pressure and scrutiny
• A culture where confidence is often performed, not felt
In that context, feeling uncertain is not a sign of inadequacy. It’s a sign you’re operating at the edge of your capability, which is exactly where you’re meant to be.
Here’s the mechanism I often see: Your perceptions of others expectations are greater than your perceived capability. So, your brain fills the gap with a story: “I’m not ready for this.”
But a more accurate interpretation is:
“I’m growing into this.”
Most high performers then compensate in two ways:
Over-delivering:
• Over-preparing
• Working longer than needed
• Being reluctant to delegate
Playing safe
• Holding back in meetings
• Avoiding stretch roles
• Staying within known territory
These behaviours work but they come at a cost and reinforce the belief:
“I succeed because I work hard and criticise myself. Not because I’m capable.”
If this resonates try a simple reflection:
• Identify three recent situations where you felt most stretched
• Write down what you actually delivered
• Note how others responded to you
Then ask yourself :
“If this were someone else, how would I assess them?”
Most leaders are far more objective about others than themselves.
Final thought:
In professional services, the more capable you become, the more often you’ll feel stretched. The goal is not to eliminate that feeling but rather to interpret it correctly.
If this resonates, it can be useful to step back and look at it with someone external. Not to “fix” anything but to recalibrate how you’re interpreting your own performance.
When was the last time you felt out of your depth but actually delivered well?