Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
A core specialism of mine, and one that I'm particularly passionate about, is helping leaders to overcome Imposter Syndrome. Something that is actually very common (known to affect 70% of us), yet so rarely openly talked about, and one of the biggest blockers to unlocking both individual and organisational performance and potential.
I fiercely believe in the opportunity that exists in opening up the dialogue around Imposter Syndrome in the workplace and enabling leaders to help both themselves and their teams. To enable this, I work with leaders on a 1:1 basis and through the facilitation of group workshops, focused on helping them to understand Imposter Syndrome & its impact, and providing them with the tools to effectively manage it, so that they can move themselves and their people from a place of self-doubt to self-belief, and be even more effective in their leadership.
What exactly is Imposter Syndrome?
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The term ‘Imposter Syndrome’ was first coined in 1978 by two clinical psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes. It is a psychological pattern or mindtrap that leads us to believe that we’re not as intelligent, knowledgeable or competent as others, and are therefore not worthy of success. People who experience Imposter Syndrome set unattainably high standards for themselves and as a result, experience feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt and a fear of being ‘found out’.
Imposter Syndrome can affect anyone, but is particularly common in women, minority populations and bright, high-achievers.
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What are the most common indicators of Imposter Syndrome?
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Some of the classic thoughts, feelings and behaviours associated with Imposter Syndrome are the following:
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How does Imposter Syndrome affect employees and organisations?
Imposter syndrome affects our work in numerous ways, all of which impact on organizational potential and performance. Some of the most common areas that it affects are:
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Mental, physical and emotional wellbeing – people experiencing Imposter Syndrome often worry excessively when something doesn’t go as planned, or when they receive developmental feedback, as it fuels their fear of failure. They can also make life a lot harder for themselves by trying to do everything and putting everyone else’s needs first. This results in them feeling anxious, overwhelmed and overloaded, and at worst they burn themselves out.
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Courage & creativity – because of a profound fear of failure and a belief that they’re not good enough, it can lead to people procrastinating, avoiding taking risks or trying new things. This naturally affects an organisation’s ability to be bold and innovative.
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Career progression & Succession planning – as a result of the underlying feeling of inadequacy, people limit themselves by shutting down opportunities to progress because they fear that we won’t be good enough. Not only does it stop them from realising their potential, it also impacts on an organisation’s ability to develop strong succession pipelines.
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Leadership –the negative beliefs people with Imposter Syndrome have about themselves and their fear of failure can affect their behaviours and actions (for example, not letting go of control and micromanaging). This will then negatively impact on their team’s engagement and performance.
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Enjoyment of work and life – because of their unrealistically high expectations of themselves, those with Imposter Syndrome are more prone to feeling more stressed and they don’t embrace their strengths or enjoy their successes.
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So where's the opportunity?
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When leaders really understand Imposter Syndrome and are equipped with the right tools and techniques to manage it, it no longer has the power to limit people’s potential. People no longer feel alone or like there’s something wrong with them, and they are able to overcome their limiting beliefs, resulting in greater wellbeing, impact and success – all of which translate into unlocked potential and improved organisational performance.
If you’d like to discuss how I can help your leaders and organisation, drop me a note by clicking on the button below.