While there is probably some benefit to the concept of impostor syndrome being discussed now and then, most discussions wreak of false humility. Very rarely ar

While there is probably some benefit to the concept of impostor syndrome being discussed now and then, most discussions wreak of false humility. Very rarely are coveted positions acquired by merit alone, getting there required some degree of Machiavellianism, some amount of self-promotion, and some level of calculated risk taking. Imagine hiring/promoting someone who wasn't in that headspace -- it would be a major risk because of the risk that the person's ego is not going to be able to handle it. Humans telegraph subtle signs of Machiavellianism during the selection process as a way of conveying a lack of naivete. But humans also telegraph hints of impostor syndrome to counteract the possibility that they be perceived as overly Machiavellian. Statistically, most social, business and political leaders are high in "dark triad" personality traits. This is not an accident. Such traits are considered ethical and acceptable in moderation. So per the article, a real "impostor" is someone trying to deceive. By definition, impostor syndrome is someone who is not trying to misrepresent her skills/qualifications. I suspect that a psychological test that measured the desire to conceal dark triad traits would find a correlation between such concealment and the deliberate display of insecurity about impostor syndrome. Imagine Usain Bold holding his head in his hands and saying "I don't think I'm really the fastest, how did I get here?" It wouldn't happen because Bolt has nothing to gain from saying that to anyone.