#10 The Headteacher’s Imposter Syndrome: Why It’s More Common Than We Admit

Feeling “never quite good enough” despite years of experience isn’t a failure — it’s often a sign of thoughtful, human leadership.

Let’s get honest:

Imposter syndrome isn’t just something new headteachers feel. It’s something many of us carry quietly throughout our leadership lives, no matter how long we’ve done the job or how many times we’ve been told we’re doing well.

That inner voice never completely disappears:

• “Am I actually leading this school as well as I should?”

• “Do I deserve this role, really?”

• “Will this be the day when someone notices I’m making it up as I go along?”

Sound familiar?

If so, you’re not alone.

Why this feeling is more common than we admit

Leadership is inherently vulnerable.

Every day you make decisions — some small, some enormous — that affect children, families, staff and the whole community.

The stakes feel impossibly high.

Even when things go well, that sense of “was this really down to me, or did I just get lucky?” creeps in. When things go badly — a complaint, a tricky inspection, poor results — the voice gets louder still.

And while staff might look to you as the confident, decisive figure at the front of the ship, inside you can often feel less like the captain and more like the person desperately bailing water and hoping no one notices how anxious you feel.

The paradox of caring leadership

Here’s the paradox:

Imposter syndrome is most common among leaders who care.

The very fact that you are reflective enough to question yourself, thoughtful enough to wonder if you’re doing a good job, and empathetic enough to worry about the impact of your decisions — these are all signs that you take the role seriously.

The most dangerous leaders aren’t those who feel imposter syndrome.
They’re the ones who never doubt themselves, never reflect, never question whether they might have got something wrong.

Your self-doubt isn’t proof you’re in the wrong job — it’s often evidence that you’re doing it with heart and humility.

The loneliness of leadership

Another reason imposter feelings persist for headteachers is the simple loneliness of leadership.

In any other job in school, there are peers around you doing something similar.

But as head, you are at the top of the tree — structurally isolated.

• Nobody else sits with your set of pressures.

• Nobody else holds the same set of confidential information.

• Nobody else is accountable in the same way.

And because you often can’t share everything you’re carrying (safeguarding concerns, HR issues, budget challenges, governance complexities), you’re left constantly second-guessing yourself — without much chance for external reassurance.

Social comparison makes it worse

The age of social media has added a modern twist to this:

It’s easy to see other leaders posting about their amazing assemblies, brilliant curriculum developments, stunning pupil outcomes, and happy, joyful staff cultures — and to think: “Why doesn’t my school feel like that? Why don’t I feel like that?”

But we rarely see the messy, complex, difficult realities behind the scenes.

You might feel like an imposter because you’re comparing your own private struggles to everyone else’s public highlight reel.

What to do about it: four truths that help

If you recognise yourself in this — if you know that “never quite good enough” voice — here are four truths that have helped me:

1. Feeling doubt is a sign of conscientious leadership, not failure.
Self-reflection is healthy. If you never doubted yourself, you wouldn’t grow.

2. No one else knows what you know.
Often, the most difficult decisions you make are shaped by factors others can’t see. It’s easy for you to judge yourself harshly — but you are holding a complex picture that no one else can fully appreciate.

3. You will never feel “ready” — that’s normal.
Leadership isn’t about having complete certainty before you act. It’s about making the best decision you can with the information you have now, knowing it may not be perfect.

4. Most staff and parents aren’t judging you as harshly as you judge yourself.
Your inner critic will always be louder than any external critic — most of the time, people aren’t scrutinising you as much as you fear.

How to navigate imposter feelings well

Here are some practical ways to cope when imposter syndrome bites:

• Talk to other heads.
  Not publicly, perhaps — but in your trusted network, where you can be honest about the challenges you face without fear of judgement.

• Keep a private record of your positive impact.
  A folder of thank-you cards, kind emails, comments from children, moments when you made a difference — not as proof for others, but as a reminder for yourself when you doubt.

• Remember that growth comes from imperfection.
  You’re not supposed to get everything right. No leader does. The real skill is learning quickly, adapting, and holding yourself kindly when you inevitably make mistakes.

• Laugh at yourself sometimes.
  Humour is a powerful antidote to perfectionism. Laugh gently at the ways you feel out of your depth. None of us really know what we’re doing all of the time — and that’s okay.

A quiet reframe

What if, instead of treating imposter syndrome as a problem to be eliminated, we reframed it?

What if we saw it as a companion — an awkward but useful reminder that we’re leading from humility, not arrogance; from care, not complacency?

You are doing a difficult job in a complex environment.
You care deeply about getting it right.
You worry because you want to serve your community well.

That’s not failure.

That’s thoughtful leadership in action.

A final question for reflection:

Next time you hear that little voice saying, “Am I good enough to do this?”
Try replying gently:
"That voice is here because I care. Because I know this matters. Because I take my responsibilities seriously."

Then take a breath, remind yourself that perfect leaders don’t exist — and keep going.

Because the best leaders are the ones who doubt sometimes.
And those doubts — held gently — are part of what makes you good.