By Rita Saenz, ACE Special Advisor
The best leaders rarely have all the answers.
What we now call “imposter syndrome,” which in the old days we simply called “noticing the gap between what we know and don’t know,” is often described as having doubts about whether we are up to the job. In my experience leading large government agencies and organizations, that gap is not a liability. It is a superpower.
A leader who believes they have arrived has stopped learning. Thinking you know it all is a dead end, retirement in place, a drag on the team. It is also why the best leaders I have known have worked with a coach. An effective leader is always learning and adjusting in response to the impermanence of the world we live in.
Leadership is a team effort
Ordinary people produce extraordinary results when they work within a network of support. Fostering the strength of the networks is the basic secret of leadership and it’s as true in the natural sciences as it is in any organization. Exceptional results are almost never the work of one person alone. They are the product of people bringing their training, talents, lived experience, and commitment together in service of something larger than themselves
Extraordinary leadership is about seeing that people are greater than the roles they play within an organization. Great leaders know that every person on a team has goals, dreams, and a desire to make a difference. ACE’s Green Lens, a framework for seeing the truth about people more clearly, gives leaders an accessible way to do exactly that. By knowing who they are and what they’re capable of, their growth within the organization can be more aligned with what’s meaningful to them.
Listen more than you speak
Being a leader is a mix of accountability, development, and listening, listening, listening.
No organization stands alone today. Markets shift. Communities change. Outside forces reshape businesses and institutions faster than any plan can anticipate. The leaders who stay effective are the ones who remain attuned: to their people, to the world around them, and to the changes taking place in real time.
One of the most underused tools in leadership is genuine listening. Not listening to respond, but listening to understand. Organizations become smarter when leaders stay in conversation with the people closest to the work. Moreover, successful leaders understand that we all have our own answers, and that those answers are often better developed in collaboration with others. The strongest organizations create space for people across all levels to learn from one another. Policy makers learn from those implementing the work, and those implementing the work gain perspective on the larger vision the organization is trying to achieve.
The space to think clearly
Coaching is one of the most important resources a leader can access, and one of the most underutilized.
Coaching gives leaders something genuinely rare: a place to hear themselves think. A space to strategize, to explore ideas, to express doubts, and to speak openly about things they cannot always share with staff or stakeholders. It is a space to be creative, regain perspective, and remember they are capable of meeting the moment.
Some of the most effective leaders I have known have had a coach beside them. Great leaders choose coaching not because something is wrong with them, but because they understand that no one can lead clearly in isolation.
What would it mean for the leaders in your organization to have that kind of support?
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do leaders need a coach?
Leadership requires making high-stakes decisions, managing complex teams, and navigating constant change, often without a safe space to process any of it out loud. A coach offers what colleagues, boards, and direct reports cannot: a confidential space to hear yourself think, work through doubts, and reconnect with your clearest judgment. The most effective leaders treat coaching not as a last resort, but as an ongoing resource.
Is coaching only for leaders who are struggling?
No. The leaders who benefit most from coaching are often already effective, and want to stay that way. Choosing to work with a coach is not a sign that something is wrong. It is a sign that you take your leadership seriously enough to invest in it.
What is imposter syndrome in leadership?
“Imposter syndrome” in leadership is the persistent worry that you’re not fully qualified for your role and that others will eventually discover you do not have it all figured out. It is remarkably common among high-achieving leaders. You can reframe it as “noticing the gap” between what you know and what you don’t, and treat it as a sign that you are still learning, which is exactly what effective leadership requires.
How does leadership coaching work?
A leadership coach creates a focused, confidential space where leaders can think through decisions, explore what matters most to them, and develop how they show up for their teams. Unlike consulting or mentoring, coaching is not about giving advice. It is about asking the right questions so leaders can access their own wisdom and move forward from a grounded place.
Experience coaching at ACE
If you are a leader looking for that kind of support, we invite you to connect with one of our rigorously trained coaches. Meet our coaches →
Curious about training as a coach? Explore our Professional Coach Training Program → or begin with ACE Foundations 1: Mastering Your Life →.
About the Author:
Rita Saenz is a former CEO of the Academy for Coaching Excellence who has held senior leadership roles across California state government, including Director of the California Department of Social Services and the Employment Development Department. She began her career as a community organizer and has spent decades at the intersection of leadership, policy, and human development. Read more about Rita →
