Shed the Mask of Imposter Syndrome
Think back to when you were promoted to a leadership position. Did you feel ‘I need to fake it till I make it?’ Did you fear you’d be uncovered as an imposter?
It’s a very common phenomenon:
Around 70% of adults may experience a feeling of this inadequacy at least once in their life.¹
A KPMG study found that 75% of female executives have experienced imposter syndrome in their careers.²
While many articles focused on high-achieving women, the syndrome has actually been found to cause self doubt and to impact both men and women.³
“People who struggle with imposter syndrome believe that they are undeserving of their achievements, [doubt if they are qualified enough for their job], and that soon enough, people will discover the truth about them.”⁴
Imposter syndrome can feel or look like:
A lack of self-confidence
Fear of asking questions, speaking out, or asking for help
Avoiding responsibility in order to avoid failure
Procrastinating out of fear of poor feedback
Focusing on perfectionism or attempting to overcompensate
Minimizing your successes
Attributing success to luck
These feelings can affect professional growth, your team, and the company bottom line.
“Employees with impostor syndrome are less likely to engage in career planning and move into leadership positions while being more likely to experience job dissatisfaction and burnout.”⁵
But more concerning, these feelings lead to significant emotional distress.
Here’s what you can do when you notice you’re putting the mask back on:
Be vulnerable and share your feelings with your Jump Network, your trusted go-to network. Hearing how others see you provides the proof in the pudding.
Accept positive feedback with a ‘Thank you’ rather than downplaying the compliment. Keep a log of these compliments and reflect on the evidence.
Practice positive self-talk. We all need a pep-talk from time to time.
Identifying some quick wins. They help build your confidence and your credibility.
Develop a growth mindset. Break out of your comfort zone. The worst that happens is that you fail learn.
Reality test your self-limiting thoughts. Note the trigger and the feelings and automatic thoughts that come up. Find supportive evidence (or lack thereof) for this feeling/thought. Identify contradictory evidence. Frame a more balanced thought.
Invest in tools to boost your confidence.
Shedding the mask of imposter syndrome allows you to see yourself as others see you… as the real deal.
1 International Journal of Behavioral Science
2 Forbes
3 Journal of General Internal Medicine
4 Psychology Today
5 McLean
