imposter syndrome: flawed self-perception limits career ... › assets › es_wp... · imposter...

Imposter Syndrome: Flawed Self-perception Limits Career Success

skillpath.com/resources

70% of all people feel like fakes at some time

or another1

Imposter Syndrome: Flawed Self-perception Limits Career Success 02

E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y

When will they find out I don’t know what I’m doing? Imposter syndrome is real. Despite a mountain

of evidence that demonstrates we are skilled and

capable—positive work reviews, promotions,

awards, pats on the back—imposter syndrome leads

us to doubt our abilities, attribute our successes to

luck or chance, and make us feel it’s only a matter of

time before we’re discovered as frauds.

Imposter syndrome is common. Early research

on this topic estimated that 70 percent of people

feel like fakes at some point.1 First observed as a

phenomenon in high-achieving women, imposter

syndrome has since been identified in both women

and men. Subsequent research has revealed higher

incidence (or at least more admissions about feeling

this way) in younger workers, minorities, individuals

working in fields where they have previously been

excluded, and some medical professionals.

Imposter syndrome is not the same as a lack of self-confidence. This psychological pattern

has become a popular topic recently leading to

confusion on its meaning. It is not synonymous

with the lack of confidence or self-doubt caused

by genuine limitations. Instead, it’s an incorrect

assessment of ones’ abilities compared to peers.2

Imposter syndrome holds some people back.

Many people who fall prey to imposter syndrome

are successful at work, despite their self-perceived

fraudulence3, but they are unable to fully enjoy

their success. For some, constantly feeling like

intellectual frauds can hamper job performance,

job and career satisfaction, and career progress.

It can cause workaholism and perfectionism, and

it ultimately leads to job burnout. Still others react

with avoidance tactics by sparingly highlighting their

accomplishments, and ducking salary negotiations,

new assignments or promotional opportunities,

which keeps them from achieving to their potential.4

How can we confront imposter syndrome? While

many people achieve success despite authenticity

doubts, knowing how to overcome these feelings

could help them internalize accomplishments

and feel more satisfaction and less stress at work.

Organizations can and should help employees by

being aware of the signs of imposter syndrome

and the current business trends that are thought

to exacerbate it. Interventions can help employees

achieve fair pay and promotions, develop greater job

satisfaction and commitment, helping them to be

strong performers long term.5

Imposter syndrome leads us to doubt our abilities, attribute our successes to luck or chance, and make us feel it’s only a matter of time before we’re discovered as frauds.


Clarifying Imposter SyndromeImposter syndrome is a psychological pattern

that occurs when an individual has an inaccurate

self-perception. It is not a clinical diagnosis or

mental illness, but rather a temporary form of

intellectual self-doubt that is not based on objective

assessments. These individuals also make inaccurate

comparisons between themselves and their peers,

often overestimating their peers’ competence.

A recent rise in popularity of the term has made it

a business world buzz word, and it has mistakenly

become a synonym for a lack of confidence.

Reducing it to a confidence issue, makes it a

personal deficiency and places the burden of fixing

it wholly on the person suffering from it, rather than

considering the work environments (external factors)

that can foster it.2

It is also important to separate imposter syndrome

from feelings of self-doubt based on real knowledge

limitations. This type of doubt leads to objective

self-reflection, helping a person accurately identify

gaps in his or her expertise and develop a plan for

self-improvement.

Prevalence of imposter syndrome in high achievers and situational minorities

Many talented, accomplished people have been

affected by imposter syndrome—actors, well-known

business leaders, even Supreme Court Justice

Sonia Sotomayor.

“It’s experienced by people who always set high

standards for themselves but evaluate themselves

very harshly,” said Ilene Wasserman, PhD,

head executive coach for Wharton’s Advanced

Management Program.6

Clinical psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne

Imes first used the term 40 years ago, and the

phenomenon continues to attract interest. In

2011, writing about this psychological pattern in

the International Journal of Behavioral Science,

researchers Jaruwan Sukulku and James Alexander

found that 70 percent of executives report

experiencing it at least once in their careers, and

it was more pronounced among high-achieving

women. Further research revealed that anyone can

have imposter syndrome. The original findings of

higher pervasive self-doubt in women may simply

illustrate that more women than men are willing to

admit to and share these feelings.7

“It’s easy to look at each small success in isolation and discount it for various reasons. It’s much more difficult

to discount it when you acknowledge what your strengths are and how many successes you’ve had over time.

Make a list of your strengths and accomplishments and refer back to these when you’re questioning whether

you actually deserve to be there.”8


Research continues to attempt to identify causal

factors and types of people more prone to imposter

syndrome. Here a few:

1 Employees in a workplace where they are the minority9

Ethnic minorities, women or any individual working

in a climate where they’ve historically been excluded

are more likely to question their own abilities.

Examples include research labs, STEM careers,

corporate boardrooms and elected government

positions.3 Individuals in these situations tend to be

questioned about their competence and judgment

at a much higher rate, which contributes to their

self-doubt.10 They are also more likely to feel they

received their job based on affirmative action

quotas, personality or character, rather than skills

or experience.11 Today’s organizations are also

increasingly international, with more and more

C-suite leaders having been raised in other cultures.

Adjusting their style to fit in can contribute to their

feelings of fraudulence.

2 Younger workers and millennials

Many workers in their 20s and 30s have grown up with

the pressures of social comparison and overprotective

parenting—factors that can contribute to anxiety,

fear or insecurity about work or school performance.

Raised in an age of “everyone gets a trophy,” many

have little experience with failure.8 One recent study in

the United Kingdom found that one-third of millennial

workers reported feeling the effects of imposter

syndrome.6 A study of university librarians showed

that those in the first three years of their careers

reported higher imposter syndrome scores than their

more experienced colleagues.12

3 Helping professions including clinical nurse practitioners and physicians

Constantly addressing patient care issues that arise

outside one’s immediate bank of knowledge is thought

to lead to higher incidences in this profession.12

Additionally, the medical profession neither prepares

physicians to grapple with mistakes nor adequately

supports them to share their insecurities.13

One in threemillennial workers report feeling the effects of imposter syndrome.Source: Wharton Executive Education, 2018


Current business trends may exacerbate imposter syndrome

No one’s entirely sure what causes imposter

syndrome. Some evidence links its origins to

childhood experiences. But several external

(situational) factors are thought to contribute. Today’s

business environments and cultures top the list.

Workplace volatility—Today’s workplaces

continually change, and imposter syndrome

is shown to reduce an individual’s adaptability.5 Talent

is agile. There’s little job security. Employees change

bosses frequently. Tech-oriented workers—engineers,

programmers or other specialists—are often

promoted into management roles, which require an

entirely different set of skills. This volatility can spell

trouble for those struggling with imposter syndrome.

Workforce diversity and inclusion—

Workplaces are increasingly diverse, but

inclusion doesn’t necessarily keep pace. Hidden

barriers, biases and stereotypes hinder multicultural

professionals, women and various generations of

workers. To illustrate, more women than men are

graduating with bachelor’s degrees, but women

are questioned about competence and judgment

at a higher rate than men, triggering feelings of

imposter syndrome.10 Research in academia

shows that competent students of color or other

underrepresented identities sometimes question

the role of affirmative action in their admission,

contributing to self-doubt.

International nature of large organizations—Increasingly, today’s

corporations are international, and employees

may have been raised in cultures that emphasize

modesty or restraint, rather than the brasher

American business style.6

Work cultures that reward overconfidence—Venerating confidence

over competence has serious risks and can lead a

team, project or even company astray.2 One study

found that the odds of making a bad acquisition

were 65 percent higher for overconfident CEOs.14

Social media usage—“Surrounding

influences fuel imposter syndrome,” says

Sam Parr, founder and CEO of The Hustle. We can

easily compare ourselves to others, and when we see

someone getting awards or living the dream on

social media, we assume these things are legitimate

when they perhaps don’t tell the whole picture.15

Imposter Syndrome InterventionNot all self-doubt in the workplace is bad. And it isn’t

necessarily imposter syndrome.

Fleeting self-doubt can work to our advantage,

motivating and driving us forward to meet a new

challenge. A new employee, an employee thrown

into a new situation or someone promoted into

management without proper training would

naturally have doubts. Alleviating self-doubt in these

cases might be as simple as finding a way to help the

person become more competent.16

Self-doubt can also stem from skewed views of how

well peers are doing. This distortion may be based

on those individuals’ overconfidence or skewed

social media evidence.

It’s important to consider actual competence

before mistakenly attributing self-doubt to imposter

syndrome. Imposter syndrome is when a competent,

high achiever incorrectly assesses his or her abilities.


Ways to combat imposter syndrome

1. Acknowledge what you’re feeling.

Learning to recognize these feelings, rather

than engaging in them, is the first step in

learning to let go of self-doubt, suggests

psychologist Audrey Ervin.17

2. Spot evidence of your success. Meeting goals and doing a good job are

objective signs of your ability. Save the

evidence—the emails and messages

telling you how great you did—to use as

positive reinforcement when you need

them. “It’s easy to look at each small

success in isolation and discount it for

various reasons. It’s much more difficult

to discount it when you acknowledge

what your strengths are and how many

successes you’ve had over time.”8

3. Own your successes. Even if you had

outside help or a little luck, acknowledge

and celebrate your wins. When someone

compliments your work, don’t brush it

off as being in the right place at the right

time or as a lucky break. Instead, thank

them. Force yourself to linger on your

accomplishments, so you have a more

balanced perspective.

4. You’re not alone in feeling this way. Research done in the 1980s estimated that

70 percent of all people feel like fakes at

some time or another. Talking to or hearing

from others (such as a mentor or trusted

friend) who have felt this way can help.

5. Fake it ‘til you make it. Act with

confidence, even if you don’t feel it.

6. Tell your inner critic to be still. Stay

conscious of what you say to yourself.

And, avoid comparing yourself to others.

(This may mean avoiding the one-sided

perspectives of social media.)

7. Push yourself to act before you’re ready. If you struggle with procrastination

caused by self-doubt or the need to “have

all the facts,” give yourself time limits.

Flawless isn’t usually necessary, and there

will never be a perfect time.

8. Don’t take constructive criticism personally. There are always ways to

improve what we do. When you receive

feedback, try to reframe it as a way for you

to meet a goal of lifelong learning.

9. Ask for help. Not knowing how to do

something isn’t a sign of weakness.

10. Mentor someone else. It will boost

your feelings about how much you really

do know.


How organizations can lessen the effects of imposter syndrome

Companies also have an opportunity to help

mitigate imposter syndrome in their organizations,

which can lead to improvement in productivity and

employee confidence levels. For example, through

learning and development, managers are trained

to be able to identify who among their team has

developed imposter syndrome. These employees

put off a “never good enough vibe” that is typical

of this behavioral pattern.18 These individuals also

shrug off achievements and stop short of applying

for promotions or special projects. They may also

struggle with perfectionism or workaholism.

SIGNS OF EMPLOYEE IMPOSTER SYNDROME

Procrastination caused

by a perfectionist fear of

failure causing them to

struggle to start

Workaholism motivated by the

belief that they are not skilled

enough so must work harder

than others to measure up

Trouble delegating

because they need to do

things themselves to ensure

they’re done perfectly

Perfectionism causing

them to set unrealistically

high standards for

themselves and others

Not accepting help from

others because they feel

that going it alone helps

them prove their worth

Turning down promotions

or new assignments with

the excuse that they’re “not

ready yet”19


The corporate culture also must be set up to be a trusting workplace, and leaders should have relationships

with their employees that signal it’s OK to talk about self-doubt. There are several opportunities to encourage

these practices.

Workplace affinity groups—

Expect that individuals placed

in positions and situations

where they are a minority may

be prone to self-doubt. Groups

with shared interests and

experiences enable workers

to surround themselves with

people who can relate.20

Mentorship programs—

Mentors can serve as a

professional anchor for those

struggling with imposter

syndrome. By sharing

experiences and advice,

mentors can help protégés

work through feelings of

self-doubt and understand

they’re not alone.

Trained managers—When

employees have a trusting

relationship with their manager,

they feel more comfortable

sharing self-doubt. Managers can

then provide frequent positive

feedback.15 They can also engage

with the self-doubt, letting

employees know that fears and

uncertainty are normal.4

THEORETICAL MODEL OF LEADERSHIP IMPOSTER PHENOMENON

High achievement Fear of failure

Lack of confidence

Perfectionism

Imposter syndrome Indecisiveness

Risk aversion

Procrastination

Source: Emerging Leadership Journeys, Vol. 11, Issue 1


Organizations can also help employees build

knowledge and understand the value of their jobs. “The

more knowledgeable workers become, the less likely

they are to have invisible holes in their confidence.”21

Knowledge of the job market can help employees feel

more marketable, enabling them to feel satisfied and

committed to their organizations long term.5

When employees are high achievers but hesitant

about their career path, a little encouragement can

go a long way. Keep an eye on workers’ trajectories.

If your high-performing employees aren’t asking

for raises or promotions, don’t assume they are

satisfied. Use real metrics of job performance to

assess employees when determining salaries and

opportunities for promotions.22

However, managers must be cautious in venerating

confidence over competence. If your workplace

values creativity and innovation, it must also value

uncertainty and not knowing.18 Overconfidence

has downsides which can lead a team, project or

even company astray. Instead of blindly urging for

more confidence, make room for people to voice,

acknowledge and heed doubt.2

“The more knowledgeable workers become, the less likely they are to have invisible holes in their confidence.”

When high-achieving individuals feel intense

intellectual or professional fraudulence, they are

experiencing imposter syndrome. These feelings can

become a barrier to career development, affecting

productivity, job satisfaction and self-confidence.

They can also have an economic impact for the

individual, keeping them from negotiating salaries or

striving for promotions.

Personal and organizational interventions, as

well as learning and development and mentoring

programs, can help employees feel more satisfied

and committed—leading to better performance

long term.5


About the AuthorMichele Markey is Vice President of Training Operations for SkillPath. She leads hundreds

of facilitators who provide high-quality training focused on leadership, teamwork,

productivity, communication and compliance.

Michele is recognized as a thought leader in the areas of entrepreneurship and talent

development. She has authored several articles and columns on these topics. In

addition, she delivers presentations and training on learning and development, change

management, strategic planning, process improvement/redesign and leadership.

=

To learn more about this topic or other workplace challenges, download additional free resources at skillpath.com/resources.

About SkillPathA leader in learning and development since 1989, SkillPath provides professionals worldwide with strategic and innovative training solutions.

Our mission is to provide the highest-quality

training for companies and businesspeople around

the world, so they can benefit personally and

professionally from the experience.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, our revenue

funds scholarships for students at Graceland

University. We have a long history of partnering

with programs that develop individuals’ leadership

and innovation skills, and our mission aligns with

companies that share a goal to invest in mentoring

and scholarship opportunities for students and

young professionals.


References1 – Robinson, Andrea PhD. (November 2017). “Overcoming Imposter Syndrome” Psychopharmacology and

Substance Abuse Division of the American Psychological Association. https://www.apadivisions.org/division-28/

publications/newsletters/psychopharmacology/2017/11/imposter-syndrome

2 – Liu, Alicia. (July 15, 2014). “Imposter Syndrome Is Not Just a Confidence Problems” A Medium Corporation.

https://medium.com/counter-intuition/impostor-syndrome-is-not-just-a-confidence-problem-dea670e59f6e

3 – Beilock, Sian. (March 3, 2019). “Research-Based Advice for Women Working in Male-Dominated Fields” Harvard

Business Review. https://hbr.org/2019/02/research-based-advice-for-women-working-in-male-dominated-fields

4 – Lennon, Chris. (January 3, 2019). “How to Recognize and Support Employees With Imposter Syndrome.”

Business.com. https://www.business.com/articles/recognize-support-employees-with-impostor-syndrome/

5 – Neureiter, Mirjam and Eva Traut-Mattausch. (September 26, 2016). “Inspecting the Dangers of Feeling Like a

Fake: An Empirical Investigation of the Impostor Phenomenon in the World of Work.” Frontiers Media. https://

www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01445/full

6 – Wharton Executive Education. (2018). “Imposter Syndrome: How Leaders Find Authenticity” The Wharton

School, University of Pennsylvania. https://executive.wharton.upenn.edu/Imposter-Syndrome.html

7 – Pinto-Powell, Roshini. (December 20, 2018). “Imposter Syndrome: Not Exclusive to Women” Inside Higher

Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2018/12/20/what-colleges-can-do-help-students-avoid-impostor-

syndrome-opinion

8 – Page, Danielle. (October 25, 2017). “How Impostor Syndrome Is Holding You Back at Work.” NBC News. https://

www.nbcnews.com/better/health/how-impostor-syndrome-holding-you-back-work-ncna814231

9 – Johnson, W. Brad and David G. Smith. (February 22, 2019). “Mentoring Someone with Imposter Syndrome.”

Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2019/02/mentoring-someone-with-imposter-syndrome

10 – Bogan, Michelle. (December 17, 2018). “Progress for Women in the Workplace Has Been Poor.” Entrepreneur.

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/324751

11 – Hoang, Queena. (January 2013). “The Imposter Phenomenon: Overcoming Internalized Barriers

and Recognizing Achievements.” The Vermont Collection. https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.

cgi?article=1058&context=tvc

12 – Sims, Julia D. (2017). “A Phenomenological Examination of Imposter Phenomenon in Music Therapy

Students” University of Oklahoma. Retrieved from: https://kuscholarworks.ku.edu/bitstream/handle/1808/25393/

Sims_ku_0099M_15343_DATA_1.pdf?sequence=1


13 – LaDonna, Kori A. PhD and Shiphra Ginsburg Md PhD, Christopher Watling Md PhD. (November 7, 2017).

“Rising to the Level of Your Incompetence: What Physicians’ Self-Assessment of Their Performance Reveals About

the Imposter Syndrome in Medicine.” The Association of American Medical Colleges. https://faculty.med.virginia.

edu/facultyaffairs/files/2018/05/Rising-to-the-Level-of-Your-Incompetence.pdf

14 – Meikle, Nathan, Dan A. Moore, and Elizabeth R. Tenney. (November 2016). “Overconfidence at Work: Does

Overconfidence Survive the Checks and Balances of Organizational Life?” Research in Organizational Behavior.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/310785173_Overconfidence_at_work_Does_overconfidence_survive_

the_checks_and_balances_of_organizational_life

15 – Bayern, Macy. (November 12, 2018). “Why Imposter Syndrome Persists in the Workplace, and How to Deal

With It.” TechRepublic. https://www.techrepublic.com/article/why-imposter-syndrome-persists-in-the-workplace-

and-how-to-deal-with-it/

16 – Nemko, Marty PhD. (May 19, 2014). “Addressing the Imposter Syndrome.” Psychology Today. https://www.

psychologytoday.com/us/blog/how-do-life/201405/addressing-the-imposter-syndrome

17 – Abrams, Abigail. (June 20, 2018). “Yes, Impostor Syndrome Is Real. Here’s How to Deal With It.” Time. http://

time.com/5312483/how-to-deal-with-impostor-syndrome/

18 – Hobbs, Roxanne. (June 7, 2018). “Supporting Women Past Impostor Syndrome and Into Leadership.” HR Zone.

https://www.hrzone.com/engage/employees/supporting-women-past-impostor-syndrome-and-into-leadership

19 – Range Jackson, Elaina. (2018). “Emerging Leadership Journeys” Vol. 11 Iss. 1, pp. 74 – 85. Regent University

School of Business & Leadership. https://www.regent.edu/acad/global/publications/elj/vol11iss1/3ELJ-Jackson.pdf

20 – Wong, Kristin. (June 12, 2018). Dealing With Impostor Syndrome When You’re Treated as an Impostor.” The

New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/12/smarter-living/dealing-with-impostor-syndrome-when-

youre-treated-as-an-impostor.html

21 – Lopez, German. (November 18, 2017). “Why Incompetent People Often Think They’re Actually the Best.“ Vox.

https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/11/18/16670576/dunning-kruger-effect-video

22 – Scott, Bartie. (December 2, 2016). “What Feeling Like a Fraud Will Do to Your Career.” Inc. https://www.inc.

com/bartie-scott/how-imposter-syndrome-hurts-career.html

imposter syndrome: flawed self-perception limits career ... › assets › es_wp... · imposter...

Documents