The Relationship Between the Impostor Phenomenon and Employee Experience: The Moderating Role of Transformational Leadership

A considerable number of employees experience impostor thoughts during their professional careers, characterized by persistent self-doubt and the belief that their achievements are undeserved. Previous research suggests that the impostor phenomenon is associated with negative work-related attitudes, whereas transformational leadership has been shown to positively influence employee outcomes such as self-efficacy and well-being. However, empirical evidence on how transformational leadership relates to employees experiencing impostor tendencies remains limited. The present study aims to examine the relationship between the impostor phenomenon, transformational leadership, and employee experience, as well as the potential moderating role of transformational leadership. A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed, surveying N = 199 employees across various industries, age groups, and genders. Transformational leadership, employee experience, and impostor characteristics were assessed using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (Felfe, 2006b), the Employee Experience Questionnaire (Fischer et al., 2021), and the Impostor Self-Concept Questionnaire (Rohrmann et al., 2020). The results indicate that the impostor phenomenon is negatively associated with several dimensions of employee experience, including organizational commitment and individual engagement ( b = −.14 to b = −.32, p < .05), while no significant effects were found for job satisfaction and collective engagement. Transformational leadership showed a significant positive relationship with all dimensions of employee experience ( b = .63 to b = .96, p < .001). However, no significant direct effect of transformational leadership on the impostor self-concept was observed. A moderating effect of transformational leadership was identified only for job satisfaction (interaction effect: b = .18, p < .05). These findings contribute to a better understanding of the work-related consequences of the impostor phenomenon and highlight the role of leadership in shaping employee experience. Implications for leadership practice and future research directions are discussed.