Impostor syndrome, imposter phenomenon, imposter experience, imposterism – it has many different names (and spellings), but the impact this sense of crushing self-doubt has on your career and in your work is the same.
That voice in your head is screaming at you that you’re faking it at work, and even in the face of a promotion, praise from your boss, an award, or great reviews, still you feel like a fraud.
That’s imposter syndrome. And according to the International Journal of Behavioural Science more than 70% of us are affected by workplace imposter thoughts at some stage.
Even Hollywood actor Charlize Theron to former First Lady Michelle Obama have confessed to experiencing this sense of distrust in their success.
With social media also in the mix of our daily lives bombarding you with other people’s achievements, it’s easy to feel as if everyone else knows what they’re doing. The reality though is that social media presents a skewed version of people because we tend to present our best face on it.
But impostor/imposter ‘syndrome’ is not a mental health illness, something which must be diagnosed and treated, although it is a state of mind.
What are the signs?
- You dismiss/minimise praise
- You avoid putting yourself forward for promotion, even if recommended by colleagues
- You boycott yourself from applying for a role even though you meet the criteria
- You overwork to make up for feelings of inadequacy
- You agonise over small mistakes
- You are extremely sensitive to even constructive criticism
If you recognise some of these in yourself, then it may be time to tweak the narrative which is playing in your head.
As a professional career coach, I like to begin by challenging the assumption that imposter syndrome is something which holds you back. In fact, it may not negatively impact the quality of your work or your career at all. Your self-doubt can lead you to spot gaps in your knowledge and work harder to prove yourself, to push to achieve your goals, and stops you from becoming complacent or arrogant.
In leadership roles leaning into your imposter syndrome and admitting you don’t have all the answers doesn’t make you a poor leader, it makes you human. It opens space for colleagues to bring their strengths to the fore. It also helps create a psychologically safe environment for people to think outside of the box and not be afraid to fail.
This is where creativity and innovation thrive.
If you want a team of high-performers, then it’s important high-potential individuals don’t hold back out of fear. Allowing time to acknowledge doubts and issues increases opportunities for teams to connect to one another, provide support and solutions.
So next time you start to put that latest promotion success down to luck, rather than your talent, accept that either way, you will use this opportunity to prove your capability to learn.
Don’t let opportunities pass you by because of your fear of being found out. You have talent, you are capable, and you belong.
Interested in finding out more about imposter syndrome? Have a read of my other blog – ‘Do your confidence levels make you more or less successful?’
Do your confidence levels make you more successful or less successful?
