How competitive workplaces are fuelling impostor syndrome – and how coaching can help

A new international study has found that competitive workplace cultures are not just stressful – they may also be fuelling impostor syndrome among employees. The research, led by academics from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the University of Exeter and the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at Australian National University, challenges the long-held belief that impostor syndrome is purely an individual issue.

Instead, the findings suggest that organisational culture plays a significant role in triggering feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy. In particular, environments that emphasise internal competition – where colleagues are pitted against one another for recognition, promotions or rewards – were found to increase the likelihood of impostor feelings.

The role of upward social comparisons

The study, published in Social Psychological and Personality Science, involved six separate investigations with nearly 1,300 participants. It found that competitive work climates lead employees to make more frequent upward social comparisons – that is, comparing themselves to higher-performing colleagues. These comparisons, in turn, heighten fears of being exposed as a fraud, a hallmark of impostor syndrome.

Professor Michelle Ryan of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at ANU, one of the study’s co-authors, explained: “Too often, we tell individuals (particularly women) to overcome impostor feelings by changing themselves – to be more confident, or to ‘lean in’. But this research makes it clear we must also look at how the workplace itself fosters these feelings through competitiveness and unrealistic expectations.”

The research also found that these effects were consistent across gender, age and background – suggesting that impostorism is not a gendered phenomenon, but a systemic one. While women and minoritised groups may be disproportionately affected, the root cause lies in the culture of the organisation.

Why coaching matters

This shift in understanding opens the door to new, more systemic interventions – and coaching is well placed to be part of the solution.

Coaching offers a reflective space where individuals can explore the roots of their impostor feelings, challenge unhelpful comparisons and reconnect with their own values and strengths. But more than that, coaching can also support leaders and teams in reshaping the culture that gives rise to these feelings in the first place.

Karen Smart, head of consultancy at the AoEC, believes coaching has a vital role to play: “This research reinforces what many coaches see in practice – that impostor syndrome is often a response to the environment, not a personal failing. Coaching can help individuals build resilience, but it can also help organisations create cultures that are more collaborative, inclusive and psychologically safe.”

From competition to cooperation

The study also found that cooperative work climates – those that emphasise learning, mastery and mutual support – were not associated with increased impostorism. In fact, they may help to buffer against it.

This suggests that organisations looking to reduce impostor feelings should consider shifting away from performance-based recognition models and towards cultures that value collaboration and shared success.

Coaching can support this transition by helping leaders reflect on the implicit messages they send about success, failure and worth. It can also help teams develop new ways of working that reduce comparison and increase connection.

A call to action

The implications of this research are clear: if we want to tackle impostor syndrome, we need to look beyond the individual and examine the systems and cultures that shape their experience.

Coaching, with its dual focus on personal insight and systemic awareness, is uniquely positioned to support this work. Whether it’s helping an individual navigate their self-doubt or working with a leadership team to build a more inclusive culture, coaching can be a powerful lever for change.

As Karen Smart puts it: “We need to stop asking people to fix themselves and start asking how we can fix the environments that make them feel broken.”