How to beat imposter syndrome in the workplace
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Imposter syndrome impacts more people than you think. This can be a feeling that lasts for a short moment or a very long time. The good news is that you can take action to beat imposter syndrome in the workplace.
But let’s first define what imposter syndrome is.
What is imposter syndrome?
Imposter syndrome is a sense of feeling inadequacy, self-doubt and that you don’t deserve your job, fearing that you’ll be caught out by others in your workplace. Other symptoms may include, but not limited to:
An intense fear of failing
Self-doubt over your abilities, despite having proven yourself before
Burnout from applying pressure on yourself to work hard
Feeling triggered when you receive minor development points
A lack of confidence at work
Nervousness when speaking up
Low self-esteem
Being highly critical on yourself, exhibiting high levels of perfectionism
Decreased self-confidence
Isolating yourself from team members
Not acknowledging your contributions in your achievements and success, and putting this down to luck
Is imposter syndrome the same for everyone?
Imposter syndrome can impact people and at different stages of their careers. People in senior positions are more likely to experience imposter syndrome at some point in their jobs.
Let’s take a look at the types of individuals that are likely to suffer from imposter syndrome and why.
1. High achieving perfectionist
This type of individual doesn’t believe in making mistakes – not even a single one, otherwise they see this as a failure. Praise from others isn’t fully accepted.
2. People pleaser
People pleasers in the workplace can broadly be described as those that have the urge to say “yes” and avoid saying “no” to others, due to a fear of letting people down. This also applies when they have their work plates full and should really be speaking up and turning additional work down.
3. Technical expert
This type of person is concerned with keeping up the appearance as being the go to person for all things technical. They are concerned about proving themselves in terms of their knowledge and being the expert in their field. If they don’t have the knowledge or answer over a particular thing, no matter how small, they experience feelings of inadequacy.
4. Lone ranger
This type of person places great emphasis on who completes the task. This type of imposter mentality feels that they need to be the only person completing the work – placing great pressure on their shoulders. Team work isn’t their go to approach and they reluctantly accept help or support as they view this as a sign of weakness.
5. “I can do it all”
This type of person believes that in order to prove themselves, they need to be brilliant in a number of different roles, i.e. a superhuman all rounder, “Jack of all trades”. We all have strengths and weaknesses in terms of our work capabilities but this type of individual doesn’t believe that this applies to them.
8 tips on how to beat imposter syndrome in the workplace
1. Embrace the unknown
The fear of the unknown in our jobs and knowing that we may not have all the answers can leave even the most confident person slightly anxious. Try to view any “unknowns” in your job, whether your job is new or old, as a challenge that you’ll smash (in a good way!) will help you to positively reframe your mind.
2. Know your value and accept positive feedback
Let’s go back to basics. You’re in your current role because you were chosen, either as a direct hire or through promotion. Your boss(es) selected you to fulfil your role because they saw value in your experience, skillset and capabilities.
Write down and acknowledge your strengths. Really go to town in listing out all the things you know you’re good and brilliant at. List out some examples for each of these points. Once you’ve done this exercise, sit back and take all of this in.
Think back to when you did a really good job at a task in your role. What was the praise that was given to you? Going forward, when you receive positive feedback or praise, accept this and give yourself credit for your efforts. Adopting this mindset, while it won’t come easy to some, will help you to reframe your thoughts more positively.
3. Analyse and try to understand the “why”
You know yourself best. Really be honest with yourself and try to pin point why you’re feeling imposter syndrome. Are there any triggers, any particular moments throughout the day where you have these feelings? This will help you to understand the “why” so you can start to tackle this head on.
4. Remember that you are not your job
Sometimes, we allow our jobs to be intrinsically linked to our sense of identity. Society is geared towards this, even though it shouldn’t be. For example, when you meet someone new, more often than not, they’ll ask “what do you do for work”. Then they’ll judge you, whether we like it or not. Due to this pressure, it’s little wonder why we place incredible emphasis on our jobs.
We work to live and not the other way around. We are more than our jobs. We have lives outside of work and our jobs don’t define our character. We can still strive to be the best we can be in our jobs, but practicing this mentality will help take the self-imposed pressure to achieve the impossible in our jobs – perfection.
5. “Comparison is the thief of joy”
Comparing yourself to your peers, colleagues, family, and friends can really suck our sense of self and confidence out of us. It can be envy inducing to learn that someone younger or someone you know at work that has secured a huge pay rise, a promotion and so forth. It’s natural to feel inadequate when you compare yourself to them, leading to internal comments like “I’m not good as XYZ” etc. This triggers negative self-talk.
It’s easier said than done, but you should use success cases to learn what they did well to land them in the positions they’re in and take a leaf out of their book. Inspiration not comparison should be what you practice helping you to get to where you want to be in your career.
6. Practice self-compassion and kindness
When we’re feeling self-critical and inadequate, it’s so easy to get caught up in a negative bubble. Instead, think about how you would review and advise a family member of a friend if they had the same scenario, strengths and weaknesses as you.
7. Know you’re not alone
Whenever you feel imposter syndrome, know that you’re not the only one. This can be comforting to know that there are many fellow current and former imposter syndrome sufferers that will and have successfully overcome this.
If you want to vent or share your dilemma, feel free to anonymously post in our forum and likeminded Job Honesty community members will also share their experiences and provide advice, from different perspectives.
8. Seek professional help
If you’ve tried all of the above and you’re still struggling with feeling imposter syndrome or you’re finding it all too much, please do seek professional help. This may be in the form of a licensed therapist. Some employers have medical insurance as a workplace benefit. It’s worth looking into if your employer provides this and if they do, whether therapy sessions are included.