How can women reframe self-doubt and imposter syndrome to step into leadership at work?

What is a “not-to-do list” for women leaders, and how does it help you focus on high-impact strategic work?

Learn how Tammy Heermann explains rewriting invisible stories that limit women’s leadership, building confidence, shifting from tactical to strategic priorities, and networking for multipurpose support—practical steps to lead with clarity at work.

Keep reading for practical prompts to identify your hidden leadership stories, build a simple not-to-do list, and use a quick outreach script to turn your network into real career momentum.

Recommendation

People continue to neglect women’s leadership potential — in society and the workplace. Often, women themselves fail to pursue their career aspirations due to a lack of support and self-confidence. In this insightful episode of The Growth Guide Podcast, host Clint Murphy speaks with leadership expert Tammy Heermann about the power of identifying and rewriting the invisible stories that influence women’s perceptions of their leadership potential. Heermann offers game-changing guidance for women seeking to redefine their possibilities and thrive in leadership roles.

Take-Aways

• Women must reframe how they think about leadership — and their ability to lead.
• Women need to bolster their belief in their leadership potential.
• Shift from tactical to strategic action by focusing on high-impact work.
• Forge multipurpose relationships through networking.

Summary

Women must reframe how they think about leadership — and their ability to lead.

Society’s ingrained narratives often associate leadership with masculine traits. Just because men traditionally hold leadership positions doesn’t mean they are the only ones capable of these jobs. Women seeking and holding leadership roles must question the stories they tell themselves about where they belong in society — stories that often stem from everyday experiences that reinforce gender stereotypes.

“What are all the stories that society has placed on us that cultures that have been ingrained through thousands of years of patriarchy?…How do we begin to understand how that has shaped how we show up?” (Tammy Heermann)

For example, as a child, Tammy Heermann’s daughter assumed her father was the leader in their family simply because he was a man. When questioned about this assumption, she mentioned some subtle societal cues — such as the men and boys in her life being more likely to behave assertively in group settings — that made the male-leader narrative seem like an objective truth. Growing people’s awareness of these kinds of narratives, their underlying assumptions, and how they shape behavior is the first step in reframing how women think about and approach leadership.

Women need to bolster their belief in their leadership potential.

Women face systemic challenges and personal doubts that often hold them back from attaining leadership roles. A lack of belief in the possibility of achieving a high-profile role — or getting a plum assignment — results in many women failing to make the effort needed to succeed. Structural barriers to women’s career advancement do exist, but many women never encounter them because they never even make the attempt. Research supports this: 67% of female CEOs did not see themselves as leaders until others pointed out their potential.

“Imposter syndrome hits men and women equally, but based on what you’ve seen…men have a higher tendency to….just push through it, whereas women allow it to hold them back.” (Clint Murphy)

Women must learn to believe in themselves and to stop waiting for “permission” to pursue their goals. They must push through any impostor syndrome they feel and take action. This includes being willing to take risks — another area where women tend to lack confidence and miss out on the encouragement men commonly receive. Women must also learn to take pride in their accomplishments. For instance, instead of saying, “My team accomplished this,” women should own their contributions by saying, “I led this project to success.”

Shift from tactical to strategic action by focusing on high-impact work.

People often perceive women as more tactical than strategic. Often, this perception reflects women’s real tendency to focus on getting things done, which can lead to a reluctance to delegate. But, overcommitment makes it impossible to focus on your strategic priorities. Rising to a leadership position requires prioritizing high-impact work and saying no to tasks that don’t contribute to that work.

“We have to start saying, this doesn’t serve me anymore.” (Tammy Heermann)

Developing a “not-to-do list” can free up time for women to demonstrate their strategic value. Women often also need to engage in more self-advocacy — speaking up for themselves instead of expecting their work to speak for itself. Rather than viewing self-advocacy as bragging, reframe it as pride and authenticity. It may take practice to become comfortable speaking up and advocating for yourself.

Forge multipurpose relationships through networking.

Men tend to cultivate broad networks blending professional, personal, and social benefits, while women tend to compartmentalize their connections. This approach can limit women’s opportunities for career growth and mutual support. For example, during a 14-month maternity leave, Heermann networked with other mothers, focusing on her role as a new mom. Because the women never spoke about work, Heermann only later realized that some of these women were senior leaders in their industry.

Women must learn to leverage their networks by overcoming the aversion to asking for introductions or other favors. If fear prevents you from reaching out to members of your network, prepare by writing down key talking points. Frame your outreach as a two-way exchange that will benefit the other person, too. Throughout your leadership journey, practice compassion toward yourself — it’s the best thing you can do to relieve stress and build resilience.

About the Podcast

Host Clint Murphy is an executive coach, Ironman athlete, and creator of The Growth Guide Podcast. Tammy Heermann is an award-winning leadership expert specializing in helping women discover opportunities in the workplace. She’s the author of Reframe Your Story.