How to lead when imposter syndrome strikes

By Julie Smith

Have you ever worried that someone is about to tap you on the shoulder and say “we’ve realised that you’re not actually up to this job.” Or have you come out of an interview convinced that you came across dreadfully, only to be offered the job?

If so, then you’ve had first-hand experience of ‘imposter syndrome’ – a term coined by Dr Pauline Clance and Dr Suzanne Imes in the late 1970s. And you’re far from alone – research suggests that 70% of people have experienced imposter syndrome at some point in their lives.

I see imposter syndrome as an issue of faulty calibration. Individuals who feel like an imposter aren’t able to accurately calibrate either their strengths or their weaknesses. They don’t see their achievements as others see them, instead they see a much smaller version. In contrast, they see their ‘haven’t done yets’ in exaggerated form. This is what I mean by faulty calibration — the individual sees their strengths as smaller than they really are and sees their weaknesses as bigger than they really are. This skewed perspective saps confidence, leaving them feeling uncertain of their abilities and worrying that they will be ‘found out.’

What can we do to recalibrate how we see ourselves? How can we lead when the belief that we’re an imposter rears its head?

Know that everyone doubts themselves

It’s easy to imagine that our colleagues are oozing with confidence, and that we’re the only one who worries about being found out, but this simply isn’t true. Self-doubt is part of the human condition. CEO’s, successful entrepreneurs, experts interviewed live on TV — these people might come across as completely calm and self-assured, but they doubtless have moments when they feel they can’t cope, they worry that they’ll say something ridiculous, they fear that they will buckle under pressure.

Name your inner critic

You know that voice in your head that sometimes tells you that you’re going to look like an idiot? That’s your inner critic, the voice of your imposter syndrome, and he (or she) lies to you all the time. Try giving your inner critic a name — it’s a way to put some distance between what they say and your sense of self. Saying “Oh, Margaret is off again with her predictions of doom” helps to diminish the impact of the inner critic’s harsh words.

Separate fact from fiction

When you notice that your inner critic is becoming really vocal, triggering those imposter feelings, try the simple self-leadership practice of truth telling. Take a deep, settling breath and remind yourself that your inner critic lies to you. Then shine a spotlight on those lies by writing down what your inner critic is telling you, and consciously separating out fact from fiction. What actually happened, what exactly was said – these are your facts. None of us has a crystal ball, so anything that is a prediction of the future is pure fiction. Neither do we have the power to read minds, so if you find yourself imagining other people’s opinions, that’s fiction too. Calm your nerves and regain your confidence by replacing fiction with fact. For example, the unhelpful fiction of “they’ll wonder why on earth they gave me this job” becomes the truth that “this is a leadership board meeting, not a performance appraisal.”

Be kind to yourself

When something goes wrong at work, reach for self-kindness rather than self-criticism. You can loosen the grip of imposter syndrome by asking yourself ‘if a friend were to find themselves in the situation that I am in right now, what would I say to them?’ It’s unlikely that you would tell your friend that they are a fraud, that it’s no wonder things went wrong, that they really should be fired. Much more likely that you’d help your friend to put the situation in perspective and remind them of the many things that are going right. Extend that same level of kindness to yourself.

Gather feedback on your strengths

Ask some trusted colleagues to offer you written or voice-recorded feedback on what they see as your strengths. Read (or listen to) their feedback two or three times. Take your time, notice any tendency to resist or discount the feedback, and really try to absorb what they are telling you.

Create a ‘that so this’ inventory

Think back over the years and make a note of times when you have surprised yourself – you’ve achieved something that seemed really hard or you’ve come through a challenging period. This is a reminder of what you’re capable of – your ‘if I did that, I can do this’ list to reach for when you have those imposter feelings.

These simple practices can help you to set aside those troublesome imposter feelings and to see your strengths and contributions much more clearly. I encourage you to give them a try.

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About the author

Julie Smith is a leadership coach, founder of Talent Sprout and author of award-winning book Coach Yourself Confident (Practical Inspiration Publishing).