The concept of “impostor feelings” or the impostor phenomenon, originally coined by Clance and Imes (1978), captures the internal experience of individuals who, despite evident success, persistently doubt their capabilities and fear being exposed as frauds. Initially conceptualized within clinical psychology and centered on high-achieving women (Clance, 1985), the phenomenon has evolved into a multidisciplinary domain spanning psychology, management, education, and healthcare (Bravata et al., 2020; Sakulku & Alexander, 2011). This paper traces the historical trajectory and scholarly evolution of the construct, highlights major contributors and explores emerging paradigms such as state-trait distinction and adaptive impostorism. It reviews measurement tools, identifies contemporary challenges in understanding and applying the construct in leadership settings and outlines future research directions. Using scholarly literature, this paper aims to contribute a consolidated academic foundation on impostorism among managers and leaders.