Mindset Theory and Impostor Phenomenon: A Typology and Implications for Organizations

ABSTRACT Impostor phenomenon (IP) exerts considerable economic and psychological costs on individuals and organizations, justifying the need for a deeper understanding of its antecedents. Extant literature largely overlooks the role of contextual factors in influencing the manifestation and/or intensity of IP. In this paper, we draw upon mindset and self‐discrepancy theories to explain how individual and organizational mindsets interact to affect the individuals' experience of IP. Specifically, we theorize how organizational mindset (OM) interacts with the individual's mindset (IM) to influence their self‐concept and thus to affect their experience of IP. We present these interactions in the form of a typology, the “multilevel mindset–impostor phenomenon typology.” Our paper responds to calls for a comprehensive theoretical understanding of contextual factors and their impact on IP. We also discuss the theoretical implications of this work and offer practical insights for organizations seeking to manage the adverse economic and psychological outcomes associated with IP.