Unmasked: Women, Leadership & the Inner Voice - Episode 4 with Sarah Kern

A conversation series, with featured guests, about overcoming imposter syndrome.

This blog explores what imposter syndrome is, how it shows up in the workplace, and why high-achieving women often feel they don’t belong at the table. From perfectionism and self-doubt to the weight of societal expectations and cultural conditioning, over the blog series we unpack the hidden forces that shape confidence. Whether you're a leader or aspiring to be one, this piece offers insight into a common inner struggle and how to start challenging it.

Introduction: Why We’re Talking About Imposter Syndrome

 Imposter syndrome affects up to 70% of people at some point in their careers.

For women in leadership, the impact can be particularly intense. Research shows that 75% of executive women have experienced imposter syndrome, and many still grapple with self-doubt even after achieving senior roles.

In the fourth of a series of monthly features, I am really excited that Sarah Kern agreed to share her experiences and insights. I met Sarah about 18 months ago in her capacity as a learner whilst enrolled on the Level 7 Strategic People Practitioner Apprenticeship and my capacity as a Tutor/Coach/Mentor. I was blown away by her intellect and drive. For me Sarah encompasses qualities that I admire – she’s intelligent, wise and hugely passionate about People & Culture. The word magnetic comes to mind – and that’s why I invited her to share her story.

💭 Have you ever doubted your own success, even when you’ve worked hard for it? You’re not alone.

Understanding Imposter Syndrome & Self-Doubt

Imposter syndrome is the persistent feeling of being a fraud despite evident success which affects countless professionals, but it can be especially pervasive among women in leadership.

It is subtle yet impacts in ways that influence confidence, decision-making, communication, and career progression. Here’s a breakdown of how it shows up, particularly for leaders:

• Overworking or over-preparing – you may feel they need to ‘prove you belong’ by constantly going above and beyond, leading to burnout. You may overprepare for meetings, avoid delegation, or spend excessive time perfecting presentations.

• Self-doubt despite evidence of success - even after promotions, achievements, or praise, you may dismiss your accomplishments as luck, timing, or external help, not internal ability.

• Fear of being found out - a persistent fear of being ‘exposed’ as less competent than others perceive. This can cause anxiety before high-stakes meetings, presentations, or decision-making moments.

• Avoiding visibility or opportunities - you may turn down speaking engagements, stretch projects, or promotions out of fear you’re not ready or “good enough.”

• Difficulty internalising praise - compliments are brushed off or attributed to the team or circumstances rather than personal effort or talent.

• Micromanaging or control issues - fear of failure can lead to controlling behaviour, with a reluctance to trust others to meet high (often perfectionistic) standards.

• Underestimating impact or influence - even when in high-impact roles, you might downplay your contributions or hesitate to assert authority or share bold ideas.
  

Why It’s Especially Common Among Women in Leadership

• Cultural conditioning - many women are socialised to be modest, self-critical, and deferential - traits that can clash with leadership expectations.

• Underrepresentation - being ‘the only’ woman (or one of few) in the room can heighten scrutiny and pressure to perform, increasing self-doubt, even more so if you are the only person of colour.

• Double standards - women are often judged more harshly and held to higher standards, whereas confident men are seen as competent; confident women may be labelled as aggressive or unlikable.

• Perfectionism pressure - internal and external expectations push many women to believe they must be perfect to be accepted or respected in leadership.
  

💭 What internal narratives might be limiting your sense of confidence or capability?

Feature Interview: Sarah Kern on Pushing Through Self-Doubt

Sarah is a Chartered (MCIPD) People & Culture practitioner who believes that good people practice should be practical, accessible and grounded in the realities of everyday work. As People Manager at Tutor Trust, she works closely with leaders to develop people-centred approaches that strengthen organisational culture, employee experience and organisational development within the Education & Charity sector.

Alongside her employed role, Sarah is the founder of Kore People, a platform dedicated to making good people practice more accessible through practical insight, honest conversations and real-world experience, supporting small businesses and the specialty coffee community.

A regular speaker and panellist, she enjoys translating complex workplace topics into practical, accessible guidance, helping leaders and organisations build confidence in navigating people challenges and creating workplaces where good people practice becomes part of everyday decision-making. Sarah also serves as a Parent Governor at UTC MediaCity, contributing to governance within specialist Digital & Creative Education.

1. Can you recall a time when you felt like you didn’t belong, even though you were fully qualified?

All the time throughout my entire career path working across different sectors and in Human Resources (HR). There’s always something to learn, doing things differently. As a HR specialist I never felt good enough or ready until I became qualified. So, I self-funded my CIPD Level 5 qualification. When I was considering the Level 7 apprenticeship, my mentor asked me, “why do you need another qualification?” I felt Level 5 wasn’t enough. Whilst it gave me a grounding, it was too technical and academic. I’d changed jobs, been in HR and previously done voluntary work. Whilst I knew what I was saying, it wasn’t enough.

The apprenticeship provided real learning - it applied to real life, I had a guide and felt like I belonged. I was part of a community with my peers; we were in it together and checking in on each other. With support from my mentor, line manager and coach, getting a distinction and my CIPD Chartered status helped me to feel more at ease with my journey.

I’m also a member of a number HR related groups like HR Ninjas group on Facebook and HR Geeks and feel more confident about contributing with advice.

2. How did self-doubt and/or imposter syndrome first show up for you in your leadership journey?

I’ve had a zig zag career - nothing was sticking. I didn’t want to be a barrister or solicitor after completing my Law degree, so I didn’t pursue this. I was an events manager for a publishing house but not long-term. I went into banking in admin related roles, but I wasn’t quite getting what I wanted or feeling great. I worked for a housing association and that’s where I connected with social justice - values, culture, community service and not a corporate ladder. It took a long time to figure it out.

I experienced imposter syndrome along the way, particularly when I was out of the workplace for 8 years raising a family. I’d gone from being really productive at work to being a mother. It can be devastating on your career taking a family break. I did some crafting and selling but ultimately had to start again. I had a chance encounter in a village coffee shop near to me where I managed to get a job that fit in with term-time hours. It was an independent coffee shop run by 3 successful females. I loved the coffee culture and started to build some confidence.

Looking back, I would not have believed my journey as self-doubt was always present and I didn’t see myself as a leader.

3. What were some messages (internal or external) that fuelled your self-doubt? Before we started a family, I worked hard, would stay late if needed and had the natural confidence to walk into a room and say hello to anyone. I’d gone to various schools growing up as we moved around for my dad’s work and I’d done quite a bit of agency work, so I was used to going into new situations and meeting people. After starting a family, I didn’t know how to work a coffee machine, but I’d done hospitality and customer service.

   I thought I wasn’t good enough, I wouldn’t be able to do it, and they didn’t believe in me - despite being told I was going a good job and receiving regular tips. I took on a secondary job at Starbucks (see below). The world of work is a tough gig. I’ve learnt that it’s OK if someone doesn’t like you, or you get things wrong - it’s taken my whole career to get to this point. It’s how you choose to react. My qualifications are part of my armour.

4. What turning points helped you begin to shift your mindset?

Having a family, getting into the coffee sector and completing my Level 7 apprenticeship. Starting a family was the biggest change to mentally process - identity crisis, navigating early years of parenting. Moving into the coffee sector pushed me outside of my comfort zone - I had no choice.

When I worked at Starbucks, I had the most incredible manager who championed everyone. I was only working 2 days per week, but he pushed me and I completed the Coffee Masters Programme - it took 3 months of developing my knowledge, exams and presenting. Feedback was that my interactions with customers was integral to my success - it was a real boost. I couldn’t see a route into management, but my manager and his manager did.

When we moved house, I walked into a coffee shop and said, “would you like me to make you a latte?” as I had the confidence to do so. During Covid, I was furloughed but still involved in the coffee sector, volunteering for a small group of women in a globally marginalised sector at the time. My legal brain kicked in, and I provided guidance with a SME business owner via WhatsApp and online regarding legal employee rights. A friend and fellow volunteer said, “you should go into HR”, so I gained some direct experience as a HR Manager in a coffee company but thought that I probably needed to get a qualification. I had been part of the industry for about 10 years.

5. Were there mentors, books, or tools that made a difference?

In my current organisation I was matched with a mentor 3 years ago as part of Barclays charity mentor scheme. I thought I was rubbish at Maths - I can’t do spreadsheets and have number blindness. My mentor comes from an IT / tech background which I thought would be helpful, but it wasn’t like that. When I got my distinction, he said he’d never doubted it, although he had asked why I wanted another qualification. When I explained, he said “go for it”.He’s absolutely brilliant. It’s now turned into a reverse mentoring relationship.

You (Gemma) - you supported my journey; you’re level-headed, clear and extremely knowledgeable and you gave me time on the course to explore.

Relationships are important. So is your opportunity to try new things. Don’t do things by the book. Pick an area of particular interest and read around it. Follow people on LinkedIn and whomever in your network, attend free webinars.

I’ve been following Rebecca Hemmings’ from Strawberry Words and her work on EDI.

6. How do you handle moments of self-doubt now - what's changed?

There’s only so much of you to give, to do and to control. Moving from a transactional HR focused job / function to People & Culture, I’ve had to get comfortable with letting go of checklists and being more open. Giving myself time and space - making myself step away as I don’t always see the answer, sometimes for weeks or months. I have control over how I react - name it and be intentional. I ‘have a word with myself’. I can’t be everything all the time. It’s OK.

7. How do you think self-doubt and/or imposter syndrome uniquely impacts women in leadership?

I remember seeing in the media a top female banker with 4 kids and the press went after her as a working mother. It was really bad, but she kicked a*se. We’re told to be this person in this situation - we have different parts to play compared to men, although there are different pressures on men. Women have to navigate career breaks and discrimination when going on maternity leave.

The charity Pregnant & Screwed highlights the discrimination and damage to a woman’s career and working relationships. Returning working mothers have to work harder and longer. Women are less likely to apply for jobs if they don’t meet all of the criteria or to negotiate meaningful pay rises. They’re impacted by assumptions that they can’t do the job properly because of family / care (carents) responsibilities outside of work. Imposter syndrome and menopause have a mental and physical impact.

We get lots thrown at us, even worse when it’s political. Women come into their own in their 40’s-50’s with a “I can’t be bothered with this nonsense” attitude. They’re at different stages in their career but can still bring value and have a meaningful role to play as part of a team. They might not want career progression, but they’re experienced and have a lot of insights to share. Volunteering can help to enrich your life.

8. What advice would you give to a younger version of yourself or someone experiencing self-doubt right now?

It doesn’t matter - your path is your own. Don’t compare yourself to others, you’ll get there.

9. How do you support others in your team or network who may struggle with self-doubt and/or imposter feelings?

Offering encouragement, support, pushing when needed. Championing people - seeing people fly is joyful. I’d encourage people to leave on their own terms and well - it’s important for mental health. I’m not discounting experiences but try to divorce yourself from toxic environments. It will serve you better later on down the line in a way that didn’t seem possible. Otherwise, you take it into a new job. Being empathetic when things go wrong.

10. What role does workplace culture play in reinforcing or easing self-doubt?

There's lots of noise and thought pieces on culture (HBR & Forbes, etc.) It’s not easily defined as all organisational cultures are different, whether it’s a psychologically safe or toxic working environment. It spreads out like a ripple in a pond. There’s a gold thread that’s really difficult to maintain. Mission and purpose act as an anchor - this is why we exist. Line managers are critical, they’re the lynch pin - role models, providing opportunities and showing that failure is OK, providing tools, guidance, learning and recognition.

11. What do confident, inclusive environments look like to you?

It's a slight utopia or myth. We all have baggage - a rucksack of worries that we take into work. We need to feel psychologically safe to work at our best with support from managers on personal issues, mistakes, learnings. Having a library of knowledge (knowledge, mentor, books).

12. What would you love to see change in how we talk about confidence, competence, and leadership?

Even if you start in the most junior position or smallest team, you can take a lead. You’re in charge of X, lead that meeting, report on, volunteering to take on extra responsibilities - that’s leading. From the ground up - role modelling of senior team, creating psychological safety. Opportunities to develop skills, build culture and relationships.

My advice for women experiencing imposter syndrome/self doubt:

• Have a zig zag career - take opportunities, chances, volunteer, say yes to extra training and learn when to say no.
  

• Learn how to separate yourself from the emotional load - make space for it and avoid burnout.
  

• Find a group or your people - people that have had similar situations and dealt with them but be careful of echo chambers.

A Top Strategy to Overcome Self-Doubt

When self-doubt appears, pause and name it. Instead of asking, “What if I fail?”, ask, “What is the next right step I can take?” Confidence often grows not from feeling ready, but from acting with intention despite uncertainty.

Steps:

1. Name the voice: “This is self-doubt,” “This is perfectionism,” or “This is fear of getting it wrong.”
   

2. Separate fact from feeling: “What do I know to be true, and what am I assuming?”
   

3. Choose one intentional next step: Ask a question, take a break, seek feedback, delegate, speak up, or start imperfectly.
   

4. Reflect afterwards: “What did I learn from taking action rather than waiting to feel confident?”

Self-doubt may still have a voice, but it doesn’t have to have the final say.

Final Reflections from Our Guest

“Put your life vest on before you try to help others.”

Let’s normalise the messy, brave process of growing into our confidence together.

Call to Action

• Share your own experiences

• Reflect on your self-talk and support systems

• Connect on LinkedIn to continue the conversation
  

Follow me for more insights by signing up to my blog and connecting with me on LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/gemmalhogan 

Feel free to leave a comment below this post if anything resonates with you.

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