Date of Award
3-23-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
Department
College of Business
First Advisor
Donald Schoffstall, Ph.D.
Second Advisor
Matthew J. Samel, Ph.D.
Third Advisor
Eric Brown, Ph.D.
Keywords
Impostor syndrome; Senior sales leadership; Sales performance; Self-efficacy theory; Business administration; Marketing; Psychology
Abstract
Many high-performing professionals experience persistent self-doubt and fear being exposed as incompetent despite clear evidence of their success. Defined as Impostor Phenomenon (IP) by Clance and Imes in 1978, this dynamic has been studied for nearly five decades, primarily in academic and healthcare settings. IP often manifests as fear, anxiety, and misattribution of success, along with behaviors such as overpreparation, procrastination, and reluctance to seek help. Business-to-business (B2B) sales roles are complex, highly evaluative, and among the hardest positions to fill. However, empirical examination of IP in commercial roles has been limited.
Impostor experiences have increasingly been linked to workplace dynamics rather than viewed as an individual disorder. This perspective aligns with self-efficacy theory, which emphasizes how individuals interpret workplace signals such as competence, performance, and feedback. With this theoretical framework in mind, three questions guided the research: the prevalence of IP among B2B sales professionals, whether IP severity differed across product-based, service-based, and hybrid sales models, and the most common IP triggers.
A quantitative, nonexperimental, cross-sectional survey design guided the study. A sample of 204 U.S. B2B sales professionals recruited through the Centiment research panel completed an online survey including the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS), demographics, and work-context items. Analyses included descriptive statistics, a one-sample proportion test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and frequency analysis.
Impostor experiences were widely reported among the B2B sales professionals in this sample, with approximately four out of five participants reporting moderate to intense impostor experiences. IP severity did not significantly differ across sales models or demographics. Participants also reported that high-pressure environments, peer comparison, lack of mentorship, and sustained performance expectations were primary triggers for their impostor experiences. These findings suggest that although IP is common among B2B sales professionals, it is more likely related to the demands of the role and the work environment than to individual characteristics. Accordingly, organizations should address organizational factors such as culture, leadership, and performance systems to better support critical talent in revenue-generating roles.
Recommended Citation
DeCesare, Charlene, "Impostor Phenomenon and Its Implications for Business-to-Business Sales Professionals" (2026). JWU Dissertations & Theses. 42.
https://scholarsarchive.jwu.edu/jwu_etd/42
