Former Gates Foundation COO calls imposter syndrome a fallacy

Governance and leadership advice from the former COO of the Gates Foundation

What you probably already know: Connie Collingsworth was the chief operating officer and chief legal officer for the Gates Foundation for 22 years, and served as the governance adviser to Bill Gates, Melinda French Gates and Warren Buffet. She sat down with me this week for a wide-ranging interview. Over the next few weeks we’ll share details from the discussion. Today, we’re diving into Collingsworth’s take on governance and working with such a high-profile organization.

On good board governance: “The principles of governance are the same, irrespective if you’re on a nonprofit board, a private equity-run company, venture capital-backed company or public company,” she said. “It’s about giving strategic advice and oversight, and not managing. Inside, when you’re an executive, you have a different role and you have to execute, you have to deliver. As a board member, your role is to bring an outside perspective, ask good questions and be able to raise hard issues.” It’s about identifying risks, she said, and pointing out red flags the executives might have missed.

On working with big personalities: “I was fortunate to have been trained as a lawyer, because a lawyer has a license to say no,” she said. “They’re also charged with making sure clients make well-informed decisions. So my objective was always to understand the difference between what was legal advice versus a business decision. I always felt like it was my obligation to tell people what they needed to know.” While Collingsworth said she didn’t always agree with every business decision, she would only step in as chief legal officer if something crossed a legal line. “I saw my role as making sure people make really well informed decisions and then let them own those decisions,” she said.

On making her voice heard: “You have to assume you’ll be heard,” she said. “Part of what happens is that women wait too long. I personally don’t believe in imposter syndrome. I think it’s a made up concept that’s put upon women to make them doubt themselves. So I just assume that if I have something to say, I’ll say it, and I expect it to be heard.” It’s not that she hasn’t been talked over or experienced sexism in the boardroom. “I choose not to dwell on those things,” Collingsworth said. “I know I add value and I expect to contribute.”