Could Imposter Syndrome Be Affecting Your Career and Mental Health?
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So many people experience Imposter Syndrome. They just don’t talk about it or may not even realize it’s what they’re experiencing.
It’s tough to name and identify what something is if you’re too ashamed to talk to others about it, especially because it’s not usually something we naturally want to bring to attention.
Unfortunately, the lack of confidence to bring up this topic with others robs people of the opportunity to acknowledge how this unpleasant, internal monologue is potentially negatively impacting not only their career but their mental health too.
So, let’s take a look at what Imposter Syndrome is, how to recognize it, and how and why to manage it.
A CLOSER LOOK AT IMPOSTER SYNDROME
Imposter Syndrome (IS), also referred to as the “imposter phenomenon”, is characterized by feelings of inadequacy, an intense fear of failure, and self-doubt about performance, despite evidence to show the contrary.
In everyday terms, what does this sound like?
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“I only got that promotion because I was the de facto choice.
- OR -
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“I’m really not that good at my job; it’s just luck and timing.
I remember when I was writing my book and looped in this concept. I wanted to keep the definition nice and simple:
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“... people with [Imposter Syndrome] feel like they’re a fraud. (1)
For people with Imposter Syndrome, nothing they do seems good enough to them. And, usually, they’ll go to great lengths to ensure they’re “not found out,” either by withdrawing from opportunities so they “aren’t noticed”, or by overcompensating so they can hide their self-perceived inadequacies or feelings of doubt.
DIGGING DEEPER INTO IMPOSTER SYNDROME
So, how do you recognize IS? It can't be as simple as looking at your reflection in the mirror, can it?
First things first, however. Identifying IS in your work behavior can be a real chore because it requires you to be really honest about how unkind you’ve been to yourself about your professional achievements, and what that “supposedly” means about your character. Ouch.
This can obviously be an uncomfortable process, especially if you’ve gotten into a groove of coming up with all the reasons you don’t deserve this or that. But this kind of self-analysis is vital to understanding the signs of imposter syndrome to prevent it from potentially affecting your job and your mental health.
Unfortunately, Imposter Syndrome can also have harmful effects on your mental health. On the chopping block: your self-esteem, self-worth, and self-concept. The result? Swells of worry, doubt, and sadness.
And, in addition to anxiety and increased stress levels about your job, IS can also lead to depression and burnout.
THE FIVE TYPES OF IMPOSTER SYNDROME
So, here's the kicker: did you know IS can manifest in different ways? YEP. There are not two, not four, but FIVE types of imposter syndrome.
Let's take a look at them, shall we?
1) THE PERFECTIONIST
For the Perfectionist, perfect isn't just a lofty goal to strive for but a way of life. And chances are, the Perfectionist won't stop at anything until everything is just right. No half measures here!
2) THE SUPERHUMAN
The Superhuman imposter will go above and beyond the call of duty. This type goes even further in an attempt to prove their productivity and worth to a company.
3) THE NATURAL GENIUS
This type has a credo: "Any task can be achieved - the first time!!!" Sound impossible? Well, not for the Natural Genius! Unless they can do something correctly and perfectly the first time, they hold a (false) belief that they've failed.
4) THE SOLOIST
The one who can do everything by themselves, never admitting that they need help, is the Soloist. After all, doesn't seeking assistance prove incompetence? Or so the soloist imposter believes.
5) THE EXPERT
The Expert will only do what they believe they can accomplish. If there's even an inkling of self-doubt, they go, "nope, thanks, pass!" This type thinks they should be all-knowing, so exposing their lack of knowledge will further strengthen the IS.
HOW PREVALENT IS IMPOSTER SYNDROME AT WORK?
Believe it or not, Imposter Syndrome is not a recent phenomenon.
Nor does it simply impact a small percentage of people. It’s been around for ages, messing with millions of peoples’ heads for decades.
If you still need to be convinced, here’s a recent data snapshot:
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“A 2019 Hub Events survey asked 1,000 adults in the UK about Imposter Syndrome and found that a shocking 80% of men and 90% of women experience IS at work. (2)
This data is also consistent in many countries around the globe. When we think about that, it’s safe to say that most people in an organization - from the intern to the CEO - will be dealing with feelings of “imposterism” at some point in their lives.
And here’s where the pandemic rears its ugly head once more...
In my book, I talked about how the new hybrid work model that COVID-19 forced upon us led to more unfortunate opportunities for Imposter Syndrome to either strengthen its pre-existing grip on people or show up for the first time for others. (3)
The isolating nature of the pandemic provided too many opportunities for us to reflect, come up with some unhealthy personal narratives, and therefore criticize ourselves (4).
And, because we didn’t have as many in-person interactions where our colleagues or boss could tell us, “Of course that’s not true. Why would you say that?!”...we were left unsupervised and let those thoughts take up space that shouldn’t have been for rent.
HOW TO MANAGE IMPOSTER SYNDROME
There's nothing wrong with striving to improve your work and complete tasks to the best of your ability. That’s a great behavior to have! But, when that striving comes from a motivation to make sure your self-perceived intellectual fraudulence isn’t found out by others, we have a problem, Houston.
So, let’s look at some constructive ways to manage Imposter Syndrome. This, of course, will need to start with you.
Begin by taking responsibility for your thoughts and behavior. The only person who can work on this is you.
And, if you need some support from others during that process, or even a “buddy” system if you will - the responsibility falls on you to relay your feelings of inadequacy so that others can understand your situation and what you are experiencing. Self-reflection and accountability are the keys here.
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“While the workplace has the responsibility of duty of care to its employees and to create a workplace culture that helps people to feel respected and safe, each individual also has a responsibility to self-advocate for their needs, share when something is up, and ask for help when needed. You are an independent being who makes your own choices. Speaking up, and how you speak up, is your choice. (5)
In addition to being personally accountable, here are 5 tips to help you deal better with Imposter Syndrome:
Stop trying to be a perfectionist. Sometimes, it’s good enough to be, well… good enough. It’s challenging to let go of old beliefs and messages that have been pounded into us since kindergarten to color within the lines. But progress deserves to be celebrated just as much as “getting things right” so try to reframe when you’re urged to get every little detail perfect and focus instead on the small accomplishments and how they’re moving you forward.
Use the power of reframing. Just like the first tip, reframing is key here. Oftentimes, those who deal with Imposter Syndrome allow negative thoughts to constantly flood their minds – without realizing it! If you find yourself agreeing to this habit, try catching the thought and then rewording it into something more positive. Turn “I really bombed that presentation today” to “That wasn’t my best presentation, but it’s a good learning lesson and I’ll prepare better next time.” This is not some hippie Eat, Pray, Love sh*t. Words have power (backed by science!) so use them carefully.
Accept and release. We all have our own, unique perspective on life events. And our perspective doesn’t always align with the “facts”. But that doesn’t mean our feelings aren’t valid, especially when it comes to Imposter Syndrome. It’s okay to acknowledge and accept that you are feeling like an imposter and it’s affecting you. But once you do that, be sure to release it – you could picture it as a small cloud of feelings you let fly away. It might sound like something a wannabe shaman would say, but trust me: it works.
Talk to a therapist. Sometimes, you just need an outside, unbiased perspective from someone else. Friends, family, and colleagues you’re comfortable with can be great sometimes, but they also have a biased opinion because they care about you. In this situation, if Imposter Syndrome is really bumming you out and it’s becoming overwhelming, seek the help of a mental health professional who can help you sort through all that you’re going through and give you ideas for how to manage it.
Make an “I don’t suck” file. I have a friend whose mentor gave her some interesting advice one day: create an “I don’t suck” file. Every time she received praise or some type of compliment (handwritten or digital), she saved it in a file she kept at work. When she had some major moments of IS or just had a bad day in general, she’d look through that file and realize she wasn’t a total failure and that things would work out. It’s good to have reminders of things others appreciate about us because when we’re dealing with Imposter Syndrome in the first place, it can be difficult to toot our own horns.
CONCLUSION
As uncomfortable as it might be, we need to normalize conversation about feelings of imposterism as much as we can in the workplace. Just because people don't talk about it doesn't mean folks aren't struggling with it. And by having these conversations more often, we can hopefully help each other to remember that we do deserve what we've accomplished, that it wasn't by chance, and that our mental health and career shouldn't be needlessly punished for a self-critical reality that exists between our ears.
Book a session with Melissa to help your staff understand Imposter Syndrome and how to manage it at work.
