From Impostor to Impact: Finding Confidence as a Woman in School Leadership

“Confidence is not something we find; it’s something we build.”

When I first stepped into school leadership, I told myself I was ready. I had the credentials, the experience, and the heart for the work. Still, there were days when I looked around the table and wondered if I truly belonged there. That quiet self-doubt that creeps in even when we have earned our place has a name. Psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes called it the impostor phenomenon in 1978, and it still shows up in the lives of women leaders today.

Across sectors, women leaders are more likely than men to report feeling less equipped for their roles, even when performance is strong (Russell Reynolds Associates, 2024). In schools, where women make up most of the teaching workforce but hold fewer superintendent and central-office roles, the gap between confidence and competence can feel especially wide.

It is not a flaw. It is a pattern.

Impostor feelings are not proof that we are unqualified. They often reflect systems that have not always shown women in positions of power. Role congruity theory (Eagly & Karau, 2002) explains that when leadership is framed through traits like assertiveness, authority, and control, women can feel out of place even as they lead effectively.

The issue is not that women lack confidence. The issue is that confidence has been defined in narrow ways that do not always fit how women lead. Many women principals lead through collaboration, empathy, and reflection. These strengths build trust, strengthen teams, and foster a sense of belonging. They are sometimes undervalued in traditional leadership narratives.

Confidence is something we build

Albert Bandura’s work on self-efficacy reminds us that confidence grows through mastery, encouragement, and reflection. Every time we navigate a difficult meeting, advocate for a teacher, or lead through change, we collect evidence of our ability. The challenge is that we rarely pause to notice it.

A simple way to start is to keep a wins notebook. Write three short lines each week about something that went well or someone you supported. Over time, these small moments become tangible reminders of growth. Confidence is not something we find. It is something we build by acknowledging our own evidence.

Principals with stronger belief in their own capability are more likely to see their schools as ready to learn and change. In a large Midwestern sample of principals, self-efficacy was positively related to perceiving the school as a learning organization, which supports better decision-making and improvement over time (Hesbol, 2019).

Reflection changes the story

Reflection helps close the gap between how capable we are and how capable we feel. Try asking yourself three questions each week:

What decision reflected my values?
Where did I take a risk that helped someone else grow?
What lesson am I taking into tomorrow?

When we see our growth clearly, self-doubt loses its power.

We rise together

Confidence grows faster in a community. Mentorship among women leaders strengthens self-efficacy and career satisfaction (Ely, Ibarra, & Kolb, 2011). When one woman shares her story of doubt and persistence, it gives another permission to believe in herself.

For women principals, moments of transition can intensify impostor feelings. A mixed-methods study of female high-school principals identified triggers such as stepping into a new role and navigating gendered expectations. It also highlighted mentoring and role models as common coping strategies (Moriel de Cedeño, 2020).

When I was a new principal, I remember standing in front of my faculty for the first time. My voice shook. I felt the weight of every expectation in the room. Then I spoke about our students and what I hoped for them and for our staff. The room softened. That day taught me something important. Leadership is not about proving I belong. It is about leading from who I already am.

A final word

If you have questioned your readiness, you are not alone. Doubt does not mean you are unqualified. It means you care about doing the work well. Confidence is not about eliminating uncertainty. It is about moving forward with it.

Keep showing up. Keep reflecting. Keep connecting with others who lift you up. Your competence is already there. Confidence is learning to see it.

Your work matters. Your presence matters. You belong here!

If you are interested in a good read that builds on this idea, I recommend She Thinks Like a Boss: Leadership by Jemma Roedel. It is an honest and uplifting reminder that confidence grows when we give ourselves permission to lead as we are.

References

Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York, NY: Freeman.

Clance, P. R., & Imes, S. A. (1978). The impostor phenomenon in high achieving women. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice, 15(3), 241–247.

Eagly, A. H., & Karau, S. J. (2002). Role congruity theory of prejudice toward female leaders. Psychological Review, 109(3), 573–598.

Ely, R. J., Ibarra, H., & Kolb, D. M. (2011). Taking gender into account: Theory and design for women’s leadership development programs. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 10(3), 474–493.

Hesbol, K. A. (2019). Principal self-efficacy and learning organizations: Influencing school improvement. International Journal of Educational Leadership Preparation, 14(1), 67–91. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1218932.pdf

Moriel de Cedeño, D. (2020). The impostor phenomenon among female high school principals: A mixed methods study [Doctoral dissertation, University of North Texas]. UNT Digital Library. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1752321/

Russell Reynolds Associates. (2024). We should all have impostor syndrome: What leaders can learn from self-doubt. https://www.russellreynolds.com/en/insights/articles/we-should-all-have-imposter-syndrome