According to a survey by a recruitment agency a few years ago, a third of UK adults could be coming into work every day dreading they will be ‘found out’. Does that sound familiar?
The term ‘imposter syndrome’ was coined in 1978 by clinical psychologists Pauline R. Clance and Suzanne A. Imes. It is summarised as a persistent fear of being exposed as a ‘fraud’ despite external evidence of competence. Workers exhibiting the syndrome remain convinced that they are frauds and do not deserve the success they have achieved.
While most of us might have these feelings often, we perhaps aren’t aware that it is recognised issue, so how do we know if we have imposter syndrome? If we accuse ourselves of ‘not being cut out’ for our job, or are unable to sleep for days if we miss one of our KPI’s, or feel that despite numerous qualifications and achievements we haven’t truly earned our title, or perhaps our confidence tumbles when we’re faced with a setback… The truth is, if we can even see ourselves in just two of those scenarios, we could be suffering from imposter syndrome.
Many people develop imposter syndrome throughout their careers and often define it by the feeling that deep down they feel like frauds and their accomplishments are the result of luck rather than skill. From the millennial who received too much praise at home, and now feels they’ll be ‘found out’ in the real world, to the remote worker who lacks the connection with their colleagues and doubts if their work is any good, imposter syndrome is a real thing.
Millennials, or GenY, are thought to be most susceptible to imposter syndrome, not only because of technological advancements within their lifetime, societal pressures and social media comparisons, but also largely because of their parents.
Whether it’s societal pressures or upbringing, if we have imposter syndrome we’re in good company: Tom Hanks, Michelle Obama, and the Princess of Wales are just some of the celebrities who have referred to this form of self doubt. According to US psychologist Dr Mann the condition is more common among high achievers.
Remote workers are more at risk of imposter syndrome because unlike those who are in a workplace, the possibilities for positive feedback are narrower. Lacking the face-to-face interaction, can give rise to feelings of self-doubt and wondering if our work is any good.
Kate Atkin, a professional speaker on the topic of impostor syndrome, shared tips with the BBC for overcoming it:
- Talk about it. If we share how we are feeling with others we will soon realise we are not alone, and stop comparing ourselves to others. Instead, we should try comparing ourselves to what we were like last year instead to see how we have progressed.
- Give ourselves a reality check. An important step to combatting imposter syndrome is to pay attention to our negative thoughts; it’s important to recognise it as a thought, NOT a fact. Our emotional state also affects our perception. If we’re anxious about a tight deadline or a challenging project, our go-to emotion might be anxiety and self-doubt. It’s important to accurately observe our emotions and triggers so we know the appropriate coping mechanisms to use. If we are anxious about the project, remind ourselves that our anxiety may trick us to believe that we are a fraud but we are not.
- Keep track of our strengths and accomplishments. It’s easy to stay so focused on our to-do list, overflowing inbox, mistakes, and weaknesses that we neglect to focus on the things we are great at! Try making another list, one that lists all of the skills and accomplishments that make us uniquely qualified for our job, so it’s at the top of our mind when we’re having a bad day. Perhaps keep a separate folder in our inbox where we save any positive feedback we’ve received from colleagues, managers and clients.
- Create a support network at work. The worst thing that people with imposter syndrome can do is to isolate themselves from receiving accurate and positive feedback from other people. Work hard to build relationships with colleagues, so we have people to lean on for support. They can often help us to normalise our experiences and reassure us that what we’re thinking about ourselves isn’t accurate.
Impostor syndrome is complex, but if we can relate to any of the symptoms or descriptions in this article, or if the voices in our head are particularly loud today, we’re not alone.
If we recognise our impostor syndrome, sense some control over it and practice some of the coping strategies that work for us, and it can be overcome, and potentially even use it to our advantage to keep on our toes and motivate us.
Helen Mirren once said: “It would be wrong to think that you're always right and correct and perfect and brilliant. Self-doubt is the thing that drives you to try to improve yourself.”
Life is a lot better, after all, when we can appreciate who we are and what we've accomplished. We’re doing great.