Dealing with Role Ambiguity, Helping Team Members with Imposter Syndrome, and Managing Performance under High Visibility [Office Hours #022]

Your questions. Answered.

👋 Welcome to a 🔒 subscriber-only edition 🔒 of our Office Hours newsletter with our founder, Ian Hallett. Every Tuesday, Ian tackles reader questions covering the most demanding challenges of management and leadership.

See all Office Hours editions here.

---

In this week's edition, Ian answers:

1. How do you lead effectively when your own role is ambiguous or constantly shifting?

2. How do you support a high-potential team member struggling with imposter syndrome?

3. How do you maintain performance and confidence when your team’s work is under a spotlight—like during a major launch or executive review?

Let’s get started…

---

Question 1:

Helena from Zurich
How do you lead effectively when your own role is ambiguous or constantly shifting?

Response:
Dear Helena,

Ambiguity is one of the most overlooked stressors in leadership. When your own responsibilities are shifting—or unclear—it can be hard to focus, hard to lead, and even harder to stay confident. The key is to become a proactive meaning-maker: clarify what you can, lead through what you don’t know, and use ambiguity as a space for influence, not confusion.

1. Define Your Anchors

Even if the title or scope is unclear, anchor your leadership in three things:

• What the organization needs most right now.

• What your team looks to you for.

• What you want to be known for.

Ask your manager directly:
"Given all the changes, what are your top priorities for me this quarter?"

That one question can unlock alignment and direction.