Have you ever heard the little voice telling you:
“You are not good enough”
“You are not ready”
“You could have done more”
And it gets louder during major events: A presentation you prepared for days, a meeting or events you planned for weeks. You ran numerous scenarios and tried to be ready for everything. The moment of the voice – Does that make you nervous and uncomfortable, for fear of others noticing you are not as good as they think you are?
When your leader or team recognizes you, do you hesitate about accepting it, wondering whether you deserve the award? You certainly worked your butt off to earn it, but at the moment, you felt like you were taking credit for others’ work or just lucky to have achieved the results.
You are not alone. Studies estimated 70% of people experience Imposter Syndrome at some point in their lives. It can happen in the workplace, at school, or life in general as well. There are gender and culture biases in this phenomenon but we can all experience it. Particular when we adapt to a new environment or are insecure due to various reasons. At the behaviourial level, it can appear as
- Attribution of Success to External Factors or Luck
- Fear of being exposed as a “Fraud”
- Perfectionism
- Fear of Failure / Fear of Success (at the same time)
What might cause it? The stories we were told and tell ourselves
In many cultures, people grow up and learn through “negative” feedback cycles. Getting the answers right should be the norm, mistakes get disproportional attention or even punishments. Nowadays we understand the value of positive reinforcement better. Unfortunately, there are still generations of leaders or families who are still unbalanced that way.
We live in societies with endless cycles of comparison and measurements. The marks at school, the rating calibration at work, the stories being told about us. Parents, managers, everyone has a role to play. Are we (as individuals) better / worse than someone else because of one of the things we do, at one point in our lives?
Results-driven culture does not create issues on their own, but how we define results matter. Putting a laser focus on the outcome of one event triggers win/lose way of thinking, while taking into account the experience in context of a longer horizon allow us to think about the process and growth opportunities over time.
How we celebrate success as individuals or teams also play a factor. Most meaningful pursuits are results of the efforts of teams, but we are often measured individually. Nonetheless, many of us personally evaluate ourselves based on the lens of a bigger whole.
Yes – our lives are a series of successes and failures, but it should not define who we are.
What you can do about it?
Acknowledge the Feeling: It is hard to fight impulses wired to your brain. So let’s say this is a friendly voice that will stay with you for life. How you respond is your choice.
Recognize the Context: Appreciate the conditions and support you receive, AND give credits to yourself on the same list. What would have been the outcome if it wasn’t for you? A project still in chaos, an idea not understood by the team, an unresolved conflict. (by the way, this is also a useful resume/interview tip)
Reframe the situation: Think of every action as an Option, a choice you make with attributes like efforts, outcome, risks. You can do everything perfectly but you don’t have to. Or just not on everything. If we immerse ourselves too deep, we may spend countless time perfecting a solution that is out of touch of the actual need. Embrace the voice of your customers, embrace good enough.
Build your Support: Share the feelings with people you trust – mentors, team, family. Those who care about you will see your side of the story. Thank them for their support and contribution to your success, and don’t be shy to ask for the same acknowledgement. We live in a world of inter-dependence and should celebrate that together.
Way Forward
There are no actual performance difference between “Impostors” or not. It is all perceptions in our heads. We are qualified and capable. Look around, others less experienced or capable currently are doing the job just fine if they are willing to learn and try. And you can tell who truly have no substance and are just acting with confidence. Why impose limits to ourselves or compare us to perfection, freezing us from taking action? Don’t sell yourself short!
You may not be the Best in what you do, but you are certainly Great enough to add value and help others!
For Further Reading:
A good overview on Wikipedia: Impostor Syndrome
International Journal of Behavioural Science: The Impostor Phenomenon
