The pressure to be the final authority on complex ethical and regulatory matters can intensify feelings of self-doubt among compliance leaders. BarkerGilmore partner Brittney McDonough examines this challenge from both personal and organizational perspectives, offering strategies to help compliance officers and their organizations thrive.
As a legal and compliance executive recruiter, I continue to witness two important and distinct challenges to the compliance profession. One challenge is personal — how compliance officers perform in their role. The other is organizational — how companies recruit, train and manage the compliance function. Both issues require greater awareness and intentional effort to address.
I can relate directly to the personal challenge that most compliance professionals face. In my role, I often find myself in high-pressure situations, meeting with C-level executives at major companies and being entrusted to lead searches that are critical to the success of those organizations.
There’s a lot at stake in these decisions — finding the right talent can be transformative for a company, as well as life-changing for the executives I place. Despite many years of recruiting experience, the pressure to prove myself as a credible and capable practitioner in my field never fades, and at times, imposter syndrome creeps in, causing me to question whether I’m truly qualified to lead those assignments.
This feeling is not unique to me. It’s a common experience among women in leadership roles, particularly in high-stakes fields like compliance, where confidence in decision-making is critical. According to a KPMG survey, 75% of female executives reported experiencing imposter syndrome.
Regardless of gender, for many compliance leaders, imposter syndrome can manifest itself as hesitation in enforcing policies or challenging unethical behavior — actions that are integral to their roles. What makes this particularly difficult for compliance officers is the responsibility of serving as their organization’s final authority on complex ethical and regulatory matters. Any hesitation or misstep can have a negative financial, operational or reputational impact on the company, and have career-related implications.
Personal pressures facing compliance leaders
Chief compliance officers (CCOs) are expected to serve as the guardians of an organization’s integrity, shouldering the responsibility for ensuring adherence to regulations, ethical practices and risk management. They often operate in environments where the margin for error is thin and the consequences of failure are severe. Whether it’s facing increasing regulatory scrutiny or the pressure to enforce policies that may not always be well-received by internal teams, the role can feel isolating. Many of the CCO candidates whom I meet express that same concern.
Moreover, in industries including healthcare, finance or pharmaceuticals, those compliance leaders deal with a high level of scrutiny from regulators, investors, media and public interest groups. Mistakes or lapses in judgment can lead to financial penalties, loss of trust or legal complications. Under these conditions, imposter syndrome can create self-doubt that impairs decision-making at the very moments when decisive leadership is required.
The stakes are high — CCI’s 2025 survey found that 41% of compliance officers experience “a lot of stress” or “extreme stress” in their roles, while 43% say their work relationships are challenged because of their jobs.
Three ways to combat this sense of personal inadequacy in compliance professionals include:
Fostering an internal culture of understanding and support
Many of the most successful CCOs have regular, structured status meetings to keep all parties abreast of critical issues, to gain insights and opinions on those matters and to reinforce the importance of their role; which, in turn, builds their confidence in addressing complex issues or facing crises.
The impact of support is measurable: CCI’s research shows that compliance officers with effective organizational structures report significantly lower job-related stress (31% vs 60%) and better mental health outcomes.
Creating a culture of continuous feedback
A culture in which successes are openly recognized and challenges are met with constructive input helps build the confidence needed to mitigate imposter syndrome. Regular recognition of contributions, whether in mitigating risk or driving ethical decision-making, can go a long way in reinforcing their leadership impact.
This can be achieved through a quarterly leadership review process where the CCO is recognized for their contributions to reducing risk or driving organizational compliance improvements. This not only provides regular feedback but also helps create visibility around the often behind-the-scenes work that compliance officers do.
Because imposter syndrome can persist even in the most seasoned professionals, continuous feedback is also critical for reinforcing the value that compliance leaders bring to their organizations. In the high-pressure environment of compliance, it’s easy for contributions to be overlooked, particularly when the goal is to maintain the status quo by avoiding risk. As a result, CCOs may not always receive the recognition they deserve for successfully steering the organization clear of potential regulatory pitfalls.
Encouraging compliance leaders to advocate for themselves
Individuals who are confident in their abilities are better equipped to guide their teams and make difficult decisions. Companies can foster self-advocacy by creating spaces where leaders can share their successes and challenges transparently. By fostering an environment where compliance leaders are encouraged to communicate their achievements, organizations can help reduce the effects of imposter syndrome, empowering leaders to advocate for the value they bring to the organization.
Consider hosting regularly scheduled roundtables that include compliance leadership where they are encouraged to discuss their achievements and challenges with peers and senior management. This creates a culture of openness and builds confidence.
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Building a high-functioning compliance capability
In addition to addressing the personal challenges related to the compliance profession, most organizations need to refine how they approach the design and management of their overall compliance capability to build and sustain a high-performing team.
Whether your compliance team consists of an individual practitioner or a staff of 20 professionals, it’s important to apply a strategic, long-term perspective to selection of the individuals best equipped to serve in the position and how to foster their success inside and outside of the organization.
Here are some ways to build your organization’s compliance capability:
Normalizing diverse career paths
Although compliance leadership roles require a strong technical, and often industry-specific foundation, they don’t all follow the same career trajectory. Many compliance professionals come from diverse backgrounds, such as legal, financial or operational roles, and these varied experiences can enrich compliance teams.
For example, a former litigator may bring a sharp understanding of risk and how to mitigate it, while someone with a strong financial background could have an acute awareness of how regulatory issues affect the company’s bottom line.
Organizations need to embrace and normalize diverse career paths in compliance leadership, focusing on the candidate’s capacity to lead in regulatory environments rather than strictly adhering to conventional career progression. Embracing diversity in career paths not only brings fresh insights but also makes the organization more agile in adapting to evolving regulatory landscapes.
Focusing on leadership skills, strategic thinking and the ability to manage complex compliance environments
Companies that limit their search to a narrow set of predefined qualifications or job experiences can miss out on candidates who can bring diverse perspectives and innovative approaches to the table. For instance, a candidate with experience across multiple industries might offer valuable insights into navigating different regulatory landscapes, even if their experience doesn’t follow a traditional compliance career path.
By expanding the search criteria beyond the typical compliance background, organizations can attract leaders who might not have a conventional career trajectory but possess the core skills to thrive in the role. It’s about recognizing that leadership in compliance goes beyond checking boxes; it involves adaptability, resilience and strategic thinking.
In addition to focusing on core competencies, ensure that job descriptions highlight flexibility and leadership potential, allowing candidates from diverse backgrounds to envision themselves in the role.
Brittney McDonough is a partner at BarkerGilmore, specializing in recruiting top legal and compliance professionals. With years of experience working closely with compliance leaders across various industries, Brittney provides strategic guidance to organizations seeking to build strong, ethical teams. She is passionate about fostering inclusive recruitment practices and helping leaders navigate the various challenges they face in today's complex regulatory landscape. 
