Reflections on the Emerge Leadership Course 2025

I never imagined myself becoming a leader. I once believed that leadership qualities were something you either had or you didn’t. However, the Emerge course has taught me that leadership is, in fact, something that can be learned, developed, and, most importantly, earned. Jade Scott reframed the word ‘leadership’, replacing it with the term ‘followership’ –  “You become a leader when people choose to follow you.”

When I first entered the course, I was filled with a sense of imposter syndrome. I still questioned how I had come to be in practice ownership, carrying with me a weight of doubt and the belief that leadership was reserved for those with big, commanding, extroverted personalities—strong, assertive, and outgoing. On day one, Jade challenged all of us imposters in the room to leave our doubts at the door. What followed over the next two transformative days opened my mind to see there is room for other personalities in leadership. This helped me rethink my own leadership potential and sparked some curiosity about imposter syndrome.

Imposter Syndrome

For those unfamiliar with the concept, imposter syndrome refers to the experience of self-doubt of intellect, skills, or accomplishments among high-achieving individuals. These individuals cannot internalise their success and subsequently experience pervasive feelings of self-doubt, anxiety, depression, and/or apprehension of being exposed as a fraud in their work, despite verifiable and objective evidence of their successfulness (1). Yes, that all sounds quite familiar!

But where does imposter syndrome stem from? According to research, it may arise from highly demanding environments, psychological traits like perfectionism or insecurity, and social inequalities. Interestingly, its neurobiological and evolutionary origins are still not well understood. (2)

A Journey into Self-Awareness

The Emerge course was a journey of self-reflection, exploring leadership styles, emotional intelligence, and personality types. It offered me valuable insights into how our personal stories shape our leadership approach and our view of the world. The exercise of crafting and sharing our personal ‘story’ with another leader was incredibly insightful. For me, it highlighted the potential roots of my imposter syndrome.

While imposter syndrome is often considered a negative emotion that breeds self-doubt and anxiety, reframing it helped me view it from a different lens. Instead of seeing it as a sign of inadequacy, I can see that it has been a valuable tool for personal growth and internal drive throughout my life. When we feel like imposters, we are typically stepping outside our comfort zones into new challenges—an essential part of learning and development. Other common characteristics, like a deep desire to succeed, a commitment to excellence, and a profound care for the work we do can absolutely be our greatest strengths, yet also our greatest weaknesses. It’s an important reality that evidence suggests a strong association with imposter syndrome and negative impacts on job performance, job satisfaction, and burnout, particularly among certain professional groups such as healthcare workers. (1) Imposter Syndrome should be named and acknowledged by those who suffer from it, and it should be tackled by a sufferer’s realistically appreciation of his/ her own strengths and weaknesses, not by being influenced from misperceived internal or external judgments (2). Some solid advice from another inspiring imposter blogger: “Don’t ever let the drive to be more make you feel like you’re not enough. But don’t let feeling good enough stop you from chasing great” (3. Joe Rinaldi)

Vision for the Future

Looking ahead, I’m excited to continue developing my leadership skills with Growth Rx. I am so grateful there is a course out there teaching leadership as a concept far broader than business management or financial success.

It was inspiring to connect with other leaders in the course and hear their challenges and triumphs. I see that leadership comes in many forms, and some of the most impactful leaders are those who lead with heart, not just with strategy. I’ve learned that leadership isn’t about necessarily conforming to one style —it’s about being true to yourself, leaning into your unique strengths and adapting your leadership style to the ‘follower’ standing in front of you. The journey is ongoing, but I feel more equipped and excited for what lies ahead. Emerge has sparked more confidence in me to lead with authenticity, compassion, and purpose. I would like to thank my imposter syndrome for all it has served me, and I do look forward to leaving it at the door more often in the future. 

(1) Bravata, D. M., Watts, S. A., Keefer, A. L., Madhusudhan, D. K., Taylor, K. T., Clark, D. M., Nelson, R. S., Cokley, K. O., & Hagg, H. K. (2020). Prevalence, predictors, and treatment of impostor syndrome: A systematic review. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 35(4), 1252–1275.

(2) Chrousos, G. P., Mentis, A. A., & Dardiotis, E. (2020). Focusing on the neuro-psycho-biological and evolutionary underpinnings of the imposter syndrome. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1553.

(3) Rinaldi, J. (2020, August 2). Imposter syndrome: Am I enough? Joe Rinaldi Blog. https://joerinaldi.blog/2020/08/02/imposter-syndrome-am-i-enough/