Who does this happen to and when?
A quick and sudden promotion can trigger this feeling, accepting a role that you didn’t think fit your dimensions. The feeling is of “I don’t deserve it,” “I’m not really worth it,” it happened by accident, in a moment they’ll realize it was a mistake. Or moving to a new role when what to do and how to be is still unclear to you.
Imposter syndrome is a condition in which a high-achieving person believes that he has managed to advance in personal success through unfair means, while developing a constant fear that this will be discovered. The phenomenon is a result of success. The more successful and well-known you are, the greater the sensitivity and feeling of impersonation. And it exists in both men and women.
The imposter phenomenon is related to anxiety, excessive perfectionism, and low self-confidence. It creates an uncomfortable feeling that affects the person’s actions and daily conduct, but it also has consequences beyond the person themselves. The reason for this is that despite investment and efforts, this lack of confidence will not be visible, and all the work, meeting goals, and tasks will be performed, but the pressure in light of this feeling creates a fear of taking part and commitment in other parts of the organization beyond the defined role.
Does this happen to you too?
What are the symptoms of imposter syndrome? What does it look, act, and feel like? People who experience this feeling believe that
– Their colleagues and bosses overestimate them
– Are in constant self-doubt, so that anxiety arises in the face of every task, causing procrastination until the last minute
– If positive feedback is received, it will be considered luck.
– Live with a constant sense of fear, of failure, as well as fear of success
– Avoid asking for a raise
– Working very hard to compensate, to prove
– Reject opportunities outside of their role
– Full of fear of being able to replicate their achievements again
If until now you thought this was just your problem, it's time for another angle.
While everyone can feel insecure at some point in a role change, managers and the organization have the ability to help them go through this stage in a completely different way. One way to increase an employee’s self-confidence is to use the important tool called feedback. Feedback on an ongoing basis, not as a one-time event. To highlight the employee’s abilities, show them successes, appreciate their efforts, and recognize success. Not only to promote to the next role, but to build the mental infrastructure so that the transition is smoother.
Highlight successes and emphasize abilities in order to build a sense of competence in a well-founded way. Otherwise, self-doubt will arise in those with low self-confidence and high self-criticism, and questions such as whether I am truly valued, whether I am thought of well, whether these actions were taken out of recognition of my ability and not for other reasons, will peck at and harm well-being, increase stress levels, and ultimately harm the person’s contribution.
Other environments in which the phenomenon grows are those that only emphasize excellence. An environment that does not accept mistakes as part of the creative, development, and building process. In a place where people walk on eggshells out of fear, where there is a feeling that things must be done perfectly and that there is no room for mistakes, the status quo that will prevail will be such that only people with a track record of success will feel comfortable taking risks.
Even in an environment where there is a risk of bringing the truth, which is clearly dangerous and there is a chance of paying a high price for it, people will find ways to deal with the difficulty without paying the price.
An environment that encourages curiosity, flexibility, and innovation in the team and organization must take into account that people need to feel comfortable making mistakes in the face of something new and unfamiliar. Conversely, the possibility of making mistakes as part of growth and renewal conveys the message that making mistakes does not equal incompetence. The possibility of making mistakes is the possibility of trying something new and different, of bringing thinking outside the box, a new perspective.
Encouraging your people to use their different thinking and take risks like you asked, expected of them in a job interview can better convey your message to the right place in the right organization. Organizations tend to look for unique and innovative people but in the end, day by day, they try to put them in a box and a familiar and known format. And this risks losing them.
4 ways to better deal with the situation
1. As a manager, set a personal example. Talk about your mistakes. Create a conversation that says no one is perfect. After all, the real question is not how to make a mistake, but how to correct, improve, and move on as quickly as possible. Vulnerability and humanity are factors that create connectedness and a sense of belonging. Understanding that we have all been through things and made mistakes allows us to feel more comfortable in the learning process and transitioning into a new role.
2. Since the topic is less discussed, and a person with an experience of being an impostor will have difficulty stating this, your role is to create an infrastructure for assistance. For example, through the support of mentors from within the organization or coaches outside the organization who will help understand the complexity and find ways to alleviate and free oneself from this feeling. Especially in organizations where there are minorities of one kind or another.
3. Talk about it with other people and sometimes discover that there are others like you who feel this way. Observing them from the sidelines can help you understand how much it is a matter of self-perception and not reality. Telling and presenting your work and receiving feedback and recognition can allow you to take ownership of your success and recognize the value you bring and increase your sense of self-worth. This is what usually happens in the process of coaching managers who experience this feeling.
4. Create a success blog for yourself. Map out the successes and skills that have come to light, and in times of transition and self-doubt, remember what you have already done.
5. And check, is your organizational culture equal to human diversity? Does the organization treat mistakes made by people with different characteristics of gender, origin, age differently? Does the existing organizational culture see everyone equally or does the organization’s way cause self-doubt that does not stem from you but from your environment?
