It turns out that imposters are common; fakers, pretenders, liars, whatever you want to call them. They are people, often with some power or influence, who build a reputation on rumors but don't actually have a resume to back them up. Donald Trump is the most famous one. How does he get away with it? It seems that all you need is to pretend you've done nothing wrong, lie with a straight face, make accusations /claims that catch people off guard with "facts" that are difficult to contradict in the moment in places where social norms limit any temptation to challenge. He is also surrounded by people who will continue to spread his lies - like Kelly Anne Conway - famous for "alternative facts", Fox News who wants his approval and the ratings to go with it. It's also incredibly helpful to get on the "good side" of leaders who are naive and don't really know you. People like Trump can be very charming when it suits them and the person across the table may never know that they are being turned into a useful tool. It is a recipe that works, I've seen it first hand, and I despise people who do this and I have no respect for people like this. Unfortunately it doesn't matter what I think, it doesn't really matter what any of us thinks, but it matters what we do.
It is up to us to question leadership and to refrain from "advertising" the accomplishments of others unless we know the truth for ourselves. We all need to make up our own minds about who people really are by their actual deeds, not by what they or anyone else says about them. Actions speak louder than words and we need to stop listening to words and look harder at actions. The same can be said of attempts to ruin someone's reputation or paint them in a bad light - look for the evidence, don't believe what people say.
Having seen the damage that false claims can do, I will not share accolades or "recognition" of accomplishments that are not evident; nor will I spread damaging rumors. I don't follow someone who I know is an imposter on social media, nor will I repost any of their personal claims or others claims when I know there is no evidence to support them. Ask yourself - when reading some article that touts someone's accomplishments - is there any objective evidence being posted here that this individual actually did what they claim? Just because they hold a title and several people cheer them on doesn't mean that any of them know if the claims are true. You would be surprised how often this is missing, and even worse, non-existent. If someone has done something newsworthy, you should be able to find more than word-of-mouth for their accomplishments. There should be evidence - real evidence that they have done something.
When we apply for jobs, we have to submit our resumes. Publications, past employment, with references. These are all verifiable. Why don't we continue to verify these things after someone has been selected for a leadership role? I am fascinated by the power of lies and subsequent rumor to create a facade of success that these individuals can actually leverage to get themselves into roles with greater power and prestige. It's sad, but unless we take steps to verify information, we are contributing to the problem.
Next time you want to share accolades or retweet someones' success, make sure you know it is real. Don't be a tool for someone like this.
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