I always wondered, when I did something well - whether it was making an impactful presentation, designing a new process or some other success - to what I owed this achievement. Was it just because I had the right opportunities at the right time, the support from a mentor or maybe just the stars lining up right. In fact, every achievement made me anxious and guarded, wondering when someone would uncover the real truth – that I actually was not capable or accomplished, and that maybe I was just a fraud.

It was many years later that I heard the term Impostor phenomenon or syndrome. I suddenly had the sense of ‘ahh.. this is what I was experiencing’. Pauline Rose Clancy and Suzanne Imes coined this term in the late 70’s, referring to highly successful women and some men who have difficulty internalizing their achievements. Regardless of external and credible proof of their success they suffer from anxiety and self-doubt, and fear being exposed as a fraud.

Now why does this happen? They believed it could be attributed to early childhood experiences, how parents and other significant figures may have praised or criticized. Lowered societal expectations of people who were a ‘minority’ and did not belong to the mainstream could play a part. There could also be certain personality types who are more prone to experiencing this phenomenon.

Fear of failure or of being ‘found out’ over rides levels of aspiration or competence, leading people to choose less demanding work roles or even entire career paths that could be less challenging or rewarding to them. They lead compromised lives never optimizing their full potential. 

Impact at the work place

This pattern can show up in different ways at the workplace.

• Refusing additional work or promotions. While most people experience some self doubt when taking on a new assignment or responsibility, someone with the impostor phenomenon has an all-encompassing fear of being ‘found out’ thinking that they do not have what it takes to be make it. Past successes are ignored as fear of not meeting expectations overpower, and opportunities get lost.
• Work gets delayed. They have a need to do things perfectly, often procrastinating out of fear that they may not meet the high standards they set for themselves, resulting in taking longer to complete their work, as a result they may not be picked for high value projects with sensitive time lines even though competent.
• Less valuable on teams. They weary managers since they need more affirmation from managers who may find it burdensome to give feedback at the frequency they require it. They also may not be able to collaborate with other team members, because they feel like they have to do it on their own. As a result they may not be chosen for teams that are higher performing.
• Less rewarding roles. Typically, fear of failure, that they will be ‘found out’, is higher than levels of aspirations and so they may actually take on less challenging or rewarding roles at the work place fearing that people would see that they are not capable of replicating earlier successes or accomplishments.

Overcoming the impostor syndrome

If you observe this in yourself, or in someone on your team, some of the suggestions below could help:

• Identify a mentor. Find someone whom you trust, with whome you can share your feelings of inadequacy and fears; who can help you separate the rational from the irrational and provide supportive, encouraging supervision.
   
• Identify your strengths and limitations. Having a realistic view of yourself will help you move forward. Put down the things you're truly good at, and the areas that might need work. That can help you recognize where you're doing well, and where there's legitimate room for improvement.
   
• Realize no one is perfect. Remind yourself that you can do a task ‘well enough', don’t strive for perfection in every single aspect. Recognise the hard work you do, and take time to enjoy even the small steps as you head towards more final goals.
   
• Reframe your thinking. If you’ve been operating under misguided rules like, “I should always know the answer” or “Never ask for help’, recognize that you have just as much right as the next person to be wrong, have an off-day, or ask for assistance. Become consciously aware of the conversation going on in your head when you’re in a situation that triggers your Impostor feelings – your internal script. Then instead of thinking, ‘Wait till they find out I have no idea what I’m doing’, tell yourself ‘Everyone who starts something new feels uncertain/hesitant in the beginning. I may not know all the answers but I’m smart enough to find them out.’
   
• Be aware of milestone triggers. Strangely enough, impostor feelings seem to come in greater force once you have achieved some success, a promotion or a new role. So don’t be surprised if you feel this way while everyone around is congratulating you!
   
• Seek help. It is possible to work through those feelings with a counsellor who can help you form a more realistic perception of yourself and reduce those feelings of anxiety.

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