Wola Joseph-Condotti 
I have sat at tables I once dreamt of. Held titles I prayed for. Led teams, companies, and conversations that mattered. Yet, I have also stood in front of a mirror, adjusting my jacket before a big meeting, wondering silently: “Will they find out I do not know everything?”
That quiet, nagging voice, one that questions your worth despite evidence to the contrary, is what we call impostor syndrome. And if you have ever felt it, you are not alone.
Impostor syndrome doesn’t discriminate, it comes for the perfectionist and the procrastinator. The woman with the Ivy League degree and the one who hustled her way to the top. It shows up just after the promotion, just before the big pitch, or moments after applause.
And here is the truth: I have felt it, too. Even as Group CEO. Even with years of experience under my belt.
The Moment It Hit Me
I remember being invited to speak at a global leadership summit, alongside CEOs I had admired from afar. I accepted graciously, and then spent the next few days wondering if I had anything valuable to say. Not because I lacked knowledge, but because I suddenly feared I might not “belong” in that calibre of company.
Never mind the years of work, the results, the credibility. In that moment, I was no longer measuring myself by my truth, but by an invisible standard I felt I had not quite met.
That is the trick of impostor syndrome. It disconnects you from reality and ties your worth to how well you can mask your fears.
Where It Comes From
We often think impostor syndrome is a personal flaw. But more often than not, it’s a by-product of systems and spaces not built with us in mind.
When you are “the only” in a room (only woman, only African, only young person) it is very easy to internalise that sense of misfit. Add in perfectionism, high expectations, and a culture that rarely allows women to be both powerful and imperfect, and you have fertile ground for self-doubt to grow.
But here is what I have learnt: Impostor syndrome thrives in silence, but loses power in truth.
What Helps
For me, three things have been transformational.
1. Competence
Preparation is a confidence builder. The more I know my stuff, the less room there is for doubt to take the driver’s seat. I walk into meetings grounded not in arrogance, but in mastery.
2. Community
Safe spaces with other women who lead and understand. Conversations where we admit we don’t always have it all figured out but we show up anyway. These moments remind me I am not alone, and neither are you.
3. Calling
Most importantly, I anchor myself in the truth that I was called to the rooms I enter. That I am not an accident. That God does not promote by mistake. When I lead from that awareness, the fear begins to shrink.
Redefining Enough
Impostor syndrome whispers, “You are not enough.” But I have learnt to answer: “Enough for whom?”
Sometimes, we must release the need to meet every unspoken expectation. Leadership is not perfection. It is obedience. It is showing up even when you feel unsure. It is trusting that the very things you think disqualify you may be the exact reason you are needed in the room.
You do not have to know everything to be effective. You do not need everyone’s approval to walk in purpose. And you certainly do not need to “prove” what has already been made evident.
My Final Thoughts
If you are reading this and you have ever felt like a fraud despite your competence, pause and breathe. You are not alone, and you are not an impostor. You are a work in progress. A leader in motion. A woman walking out her calling in real time.
So, the next time the voice of doubt tries to question your place, remind it: I did not stumble here, I was sent.
Wola Joseph-Condotti is the Group Managing Director/CEO of West Power & Gas Limited. A Harvard-trained lawyer and passionate advocate for faith-driven leadership, gender equity, and energy transition in Africa, she writes from the intersection of power, purpose, and personal growth.