 No one wants to feel like an imposter at work. But the truth is, imposter syndrome is a real thing. If you’ve ever felt like you don’t belong or you don’t deserve your job, know that you’re not alone. So, what is impostor syndrome? Imposter syndrome is a sense of self-doubt related to work accomplishments. You might have feelings of phoniness and think you don’t deserve your job. Oftentimes, imposter syndrome makes you feel like you’re tricking your coworkers into thinking you’re good at your job. Other symptoms include: · Lack of self-confidence at work · Sensitivity of small mistakes · Fear of failing your team · Burnout from working too hard. If any of these feelings ring true, you’re not alone. In fact, according to research nearly two-thirds (62%) of workers worldwide reported experiencing imposter syndrome. All types of people experience imposter syndrome—and not just new hires, either. Team members in more senior positions are actually more likely than average to experience imposter syndrome. Characteristics of impostor syndrome could look like. · Self-doubt in your skills and competence · Crediting external factors—like luck—for your success · Decreased self-confidence · Isolating from team members · Perfectionism · Experiencing overwork and burnout · Setting impossibly high standards for yourself · Low self-esteem · Intense fear of failure Imposter syndrome during the pandemic The unprecedented and unique pandemic situation also caused a rise in imposter syndrome. In fact, 47% of workers worldwide reported feelings of imposter syndrome increasing in 2020 as being isolated from your work team while working from home compounded this issue. 5 types of imposter syndrome 1. The perfectionist The perfectionist is a person whose primary focus is on “how” something is done, instead of the overall outcome. Despite receiving praise, you believe you could have done better. 2. The expert When someone is more concerned about “what” and “how much” they know or can do, they may suffer from an expert mindset. In a scenario where you have a minor lack of knowledge, this extreme expectation of yourself can bring feelings of failure and shame. 3. The natural genius This type of person measures their competence by speed and ease. When you feel like this, you equate not understanding a subject or performing a skill successfully on the first try with failure. 4. The soloist Focusing more on “who” carries out the task, this type of imposter believes they must be the one to do everything on their own. If you fall into this archetype, you may believe that asking for help or needing assistance is a sign of weakness. 5. The superhuman This describes someone who measures their success by “how many” roles they can both juggle and master. With this mindset, you may feel guilty and ashamed when falling short in any role, even while excelling in others. 9 ways to overcome imposter syndrome. If you’re personally struggling with imposter syndrome, there are a lot of actions you can take to reduce those feelings. The most important thing to do is remember you’re not alone—and these feelings aren’t abnormal. When you want to succeed, it’s common to feel like you aren’t doing a good enough job. But with time and hard work, you can overcome imposter syndrome. Here’s how: 1. Focus on the facts Imposter syndrome makes you feel like you aren’t good at your job. But oftentimes, these feelings are based on fear—not reality. The best way to fight imposter syndrome is to separate your feelings from the facts. The Conscious Leadership Group calls this “facts vs. stories.” Facts are observable truths—things a video camera picks up on. Stories are how you interpret those facts. You can’t keep your brain from creating stories, but you can centre yourself around the facts. The next time you’re in a situation that makes you feel like an imposter, refer to the facts vs. stories of the situation. For example, if you felt bad after speaking up in a team meeting, focus on what your team members said. 2. Acknowledge, validate, then let go Your interpretation of an event is a story (rather than the fact) this of course doesn’t mean your feelings are any less valid. Combatting imposter syndrome isn’t about ignoring your emotions. Rather, the best way to fight this feeling is by acknowledging that you’re feeling poorly, validate that it’s okay, and then let those feelings go if they aren’t based on reality. 3. Share how you’re feeling Imposter syndrome is a very isolating feeling. But as we shared above, these feelings are common in the workplace. Nearly two-thirds (62%) of workers worldwide have experienced imposter syndrome. So, the next time you’re feeling this way, try to share those feelings with someone else. There are two advantages to sharing how you’re feeling: Instead of internalising the emotions, recognises them and move on. When you keep your feelings of imposter syndrome a secret, they grow bigger and harder to deal with. Sharing these feelings with someone else is a great way to recognise them on the path towards overcoming imposter syndrome. You might find someone who has also experienced imposter syndrome. Unfortunately, imposter syndrome is a common workplace phenomenon. You might find that the person you confide in has also felt imposter syndrome in the past. This helps you feel like you aren’t so alone in the way you’re feeling. 4. Look for evidence If acknowledging or sharing your feelings isn’t helping, try fighting your feelings with the evidence. Oftentimes, imposter syndrome isn’t based on facts—so focus on the facts to fight these feelings. If you often feel like you aren’t getting your work done on time, try these steps: · Go back over your most recent projects. · Review the work you’ve done to see if these feelings are based in fact. · If they are, you’ve identified something concrete you can work on & improve upon. · If they aren’t, use these facts every time that voice in your brain pipes up to tell you you aren’t good enough. If you don’t have an easy way to review your work, try using a work management tool, like a spread sheet. These tools help you organise your work, look back on past projects, and get set up for success on any future initiatives. 5. Reframe your thoughts There is power in our thoughts. The way we approach the world has the power to shape our reality—in both positive and negative ways. If you often suffer from negative thoughts, start monitoring your mental voice and modifying it where possible. This technique won’t have immediate results, but over time, it helps you approach situations in a more positive light. For example, the next time you make a mistake, try thinking, “That wasn’t my best work, but I’ll do better next time” instead of, “That was awful.” By reframing your mental language, you’re rewiring your brain to be more supportive. 6. Look for a mentor To fight imposter syndrome, try actively improving your hard skills and soft skills. That way, whenever that little voice in your head whispers that you’re not good enough at something, you can whisper back that you’re in the process of getting better so shut up! 😊 A great way to do that is to find a mentor. Look for someone in your company or your field of work who can give you practical advice and support. This might be a senior leader, or a leader at another company that you look up to. 7. Learn from your team members A common symptom of imposter syndrome is comparing yourself to your peers and thinking you’re worse at your job than they are. While comparing yourself is tempting, there’s a lot you can do to reframe these feelings. The next time you feel tempted to compare yourself to your peers, try to take a step back and instead see what you can learn from them. The fact of the matter is, you will have team members who have strengths in certain areas you don’t, and vice versa. That doesn’t make you less worthy—but rather creates an opportunity for your team to learn from one another to grow and succeed in your roles. 8. Anticipate imposter syndrome to reduce its effects Over time, you might notice that you always experience imposter syndrome when a specific thing happens. If that’s the case, prepare in advance of that situation so you can combat the effects. For example, let’s say you typically get nervous while filling out your self-review during your team’s performance cycle. If that level of reflection makes you uncomfortable, try keeping a list of things you accomplish over the course of the quarter or year in your collaboration software. That way, when the performance review cycle rolls around, you already have your self-review written, without even worrying about it. 9. Toot your own horn Sometimes, the best way to fight imposter syndrome is to face it head on. The next time you feel like you did something well, celebrate it! If you’re comfortable, share your accomplishment with your team. You aren’t limited to doing this when you do a good job, either. Try creating a list of the qualities and skills you possess. These can be specific to your role—like being a great salesperson—or more general to who you are, like always being there for your team members. |
