Syndrome of self-doubt despite success ‘
Over the years I have worked with several people who suffered from Imposter Syndrome. The term, created by psychologists Clance and Imes in 1978, refers to the idea that competent people find it hard to believe in their own capabilities. They see evidence of their competence as mere luck and sometimes feel they are not actually qualified for the position they hold.
Much has been written about successful women experiencing Imposter Syndrome, yet research shows men also experience this phenomenon. It has been documented that scientists, academics, graduate students, people starting a new job, actors and actresses, and other high performers have experienced the syndrome.
When the topic of Imposter Syndrome pops up on blogs, it is amazing how many people write in and say they have felt this way since they were young.
Imposter Syndrome can lead to significant self-doubt, hindering individuals from feeling as intelligent and capable as they are.
It can also cause these competent people to agonise over small mistakes and miss out on opportunities or advancements they are capable of achieving.
As examples, I once coached a person who had a PhD, an MBA, was an expert in a specialised domain and held a high-ranking position at a prestigious agency. He kept questioning why he was put in such a high-level position despite all the evidence that he was intelligent, talented and hardworking. Likewise, another top executive kept telling me she was sure ‘‘one day she would be discovered’’ and sent back down to a lower-level position, in spite of her tremendous success at the firm. In both cases, these executives used up considerable energy worrying that at any time someone would unmask or expose them as frauds.
What can you do to manage it?
Anyone starting a new job might have feelings of self-doubt, asking ‘‘How did I get here? Do I know enough?’’ In this situation, it’s important to cultivate friends, associates and family who can bolster your confidence. You can even share your concerns with them so they can reassure you regarding your skills and strengths and let you know when you are being too hard on yourself.
There are times when we all feel stupid, but it doesn’t mean we actually are.
Find someone you can talk to who will allow you to be honest and share your thoughts without worrying about how they will use this information. If you can find someone outside of work, that would allow you to be candid. Sometimes, it is also helpful to find a mentor who is similar to you in important ways (for example, in race or gender) so that you can better relate to each other.
By sharing your own successes and ideas with junior colleagues, it reinforces your own accomplishments and successes.
Focus on your accomplishments rather than focusing on everything you don’t know and have to improve upon. Visualise success.
Write down your goals and accomplishments. This enables you to review what you have done so that you can see it’s not just luck.
I knew an executive who kept a book of lessons learned so he could move on. Don’t beat yourself up over your mistakes.
Recognise that others do not have everything all figured out. Your co-workers and peers once started a new endeavour and made mistakes.
We have the tendency to think people are spending a lot of time watching our every move, but people are much more focused on themselves. Some feelings of anxiety are OK because they reflect respect for the limits of our abilities. So, a level of self-doubt may be OK as long as it doesn’t hamper your ability to enjoy your successes.