How Women in Leadership Can Overcome Imposter Syndrome Using a Simple Brag Book

Imposter syndrome in women is far more common than most people realise — especially for women in leadership who frequently find themselves as “the only one” in the room. This experience can create pressure, self-doubt, and the feeling that you must constantly prove your competence, even with a strong track record.

I’ve lived this firsthand, and one practical habit helped me navigate it: my Brag Book.
Here’s the story, the data, and the method.

Why Imposter Syndrome Shows Up for Women in Leadership

Recently, I was speaking with a new friend — one of our B4B ARMA winners. Brilliant, capable, and highly accomplished. We found ourselves discussing how often imposter syndrome shows up for women, even those performing at a high level.

The data aligns with these conversations:

75% of women in leadership roles experience imposter syndrome (KPMG, 2023).

This isn’t because women lack ability.
It’s because they are frequently:

• one of the few women in the room
• the only Black person
• the only African
• the only person representing their background or perspective

When you stand out in visible ways, self-doubt at work can become louder, even when your performance is strong.

What Is Imposter Syndrome?

Imposter syndrome is the persistent belief that you’re not as competent as others think you are — despite evidence of your skills, experience, or achievements.
People experiencing it often attribute success to luck, timing, or external factors rather than their own capability.

My Experience Being “The Only One”

During my years working in global organisations, I often entered leadership rooms as:

• one of the few women,
• the only Black person, or
• the only African in the space.

Those environments sharpen your awareness. You notice everything — tone, reactions, expectations. And sometimes, even with results to show, you question whether you truly belong.

This is where imposter syndrome becomes more than a concept.
It becomes a regular battle with your own mind.

The Brag Book: A Practical Tool for Overcoming Self-Doubt
One simple habit helped me stay grounded: my Brag Book — a documented record of my work, results, and impact.

It wasn’t designed to impress anyone.
It was designed to remind me of the facts when doubt tried to rewrite the story.

Each entry followed the STAR method, a clear structure used globally to describe accomplishments:

• Situation — what was happening
• Task — what needed to be done
• Action — what I did
• Result — the measurable outcome

This method forced clarity.
No emotion. No minimising the win.
Just evidence.

Whenever imposter syndrome resurfaced, the Brag Book gave me a factual, objective reminder of my capability.

Why the STAR Method Works for Career Confidence

The STAR method doesn’t just organise achievements — it builds confidence through:

• Clear evidence of performance
• Quantifiable results you can reference
• A pattern of competence and growth
• Better preparation for reviews, interviews, and promotion conversations

This is especially helpful for women, who often overlook or downplay their accomplishments due to workplace culture, bias, or internal pressure to “be perfect.”

A Brag Book shifts the narrative:
From “I think I did well” to “Here is what I delivered.”

How to Start Your Own Brag Book

You can create a simple version today:

1. Open a document or notebook.
2. Create four sections: Situation, Task, Action, Result.
3. Write down one recent win.
4. Add the outcomes — numbers if possible.
5. Review it weekly or monthly.

This small habit helps you counter imposter syndrome with facts, not feelings.

If you want to see how I structure mine, you can check it out here

A Final Thought

Imposter syndrome in women doesn’t disappear overnight.
But it becomes easier to manage when you have evidence of your contribution and a method to track it.

A Brag Book is simple, practical, and repeatable — and it remains one of the most useful tools I’ve used throughout my career.