What happens when you’re asked to make high-stakes decisions in an area where you’re not the expert? For this speaker, it was being tasked with cutting eight positions in a department that was already stretched thin. The imposter voice was immediate: “You don’t know enough to get this right.”

Drawing on real past experience as a superintendent and knowing that stretching leaders across multiple sites would erode culture. Instead, making the call to restructure—creating distinct pathways for both technical mastery and leadership.

The solution brought its own challenges: leaders without deep technical expertise struggled to earn credibility. It became clear that leadership is never about knowing everything. Whether you’re an insider or outsider, it’s about making the best possible decision with the information you have, and building structures that sustain your people.

Hear how the “outsider lens” became an asset. By reframing control systems as a form of asset management, not only reshaping our strategy but also earning the respect of the very toughest critics. The experience revealed that imposter syndrome tends to shout the loudest when the stakes are highest—but that tension is also evidence of growth.

This session will explore how to navigate the imposter–innovator paradox, showing that leadership is less about having all the answers and more about owning your choices, learning from their consequences, and building trust along the way.