#63 | The Science Behind Why Faking Certainty After Promotion Destroys Leadership Influence & What to Do Instead.

Have you ever been promoted into management and felt like you should sound more certain than you really feel?For many newly promoted managers, promotion does not feel empowering straight away. It can trigger imposter syndrome, a loss of confidence, and the pressure to appear certain to protect credibility. In this episode, Caroline breaks down the science behind why early leadership feels so psychologically disorientating, and why real influence is built through honesty, clarity, and psychological safety rather than pretending to have all the answers.You will understand why promotion into leadership often triggers imposter syndrome, even in highly capable womenYou will learn why pretending 'you know it' or 'you've got this' can weaken trust and reduce your influence with your teamYou will take away three practical moves to help you lead with more clarity, credibility, and confidence Play this episode to learn how to handle imposter syndrome after promotion and build genuine influence without faking confidence.More from the showA Cheat Sheet For Shrinking Your Imposter SyndromeA 90 Day New Manager ChecklistNew episodes are released every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.Stuck, simmering, or onto something juicy? I want to hear it. Drop me a line at [email protected] - I read them all.And here is the Spotify Playlist to accompany UnShakeable Her.Unshakeable Her is the podcast for women in leadership who are ready to build real influence, earn the promotion they deserve, and lead with confidence in systems that weren't built for them. Each episode tackles the challenges that shape leadership from the inside out, including imposter syndrome, resilience, credibility, boundaries, conflict, and feedback, while unpacking how pressure, workplace politics, strategic thinking, decision-making, and visibility affect the way ambitious women grow, lead, and get promoted without losing themselves in the process.