Monday reflection: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome as a Leader

 

Imposter syndrome shows up as feelings of self-doubt despite having achieved a lot in our lives and our work. We might meet those milestones that we set for ourselves yet we can worry it’s just luck, or that someone will “find out” that we’re not as capable as we should be. We fear being noticed for when we fail to deliver rather than when we achieve. Self-doubt can feel especially intense as a leader, but all leaders can feel this way at some point in their lives.  

If left unrecognised and if we don’t recognise these feelings, imposter syndrome can quietly shape our attitudes and our behaviours: 

• We can work continuously to “prove” ourselves 
• We can fail to celebrate our successes 
• We can downplay our contribution to delivering solutions 
• We miss out on opportunities because we lack confidence 
• We can keep repeating these patterns of behaviour leading to exhaustion, anxiety even burnout.

These behaviours can prevent us from growing personally and in our work roles and developing towards the leader, we are capable of being. The first step to overcoming imposter syndrome is simply to call it out and its influence on our attitudes and our behaviour and then how we move past it. So how do you move past it? Here are a few powerful steps: 

• Recognise that imposter syndrome drives your behaviour. Reflect on how you may be affected by self-doubt and how it impacts on you emotionally and physically. 
• Talk about it with trusted friends, peers or mentors. Share your doubts with others and talk through your achievements and plans and how you can progress with confidence. 
• Reframe self-doubt as a part of growth. If you feel are feeling stretched, it means you’re expanding your horizons, developing your skills. If you feel doubt in this space, then think about how you need to develop your support network and set aside time to recharge and refresh. 

Leaders need a support network, leaders need time to recover their energy and to clear their minds and just be themselves. The leaders who doubt themselves are often the ones who care most deeply, listen carefully, and strive to do their best for themselves and others. Those personal traits are a strength, not a weakness. People don’t follow others because they are flawless, perfect, never make a mistake. They follow leaders because they are real, authentic, have integrity and are willing to keep learning and growing as people and in their roles. 

So if imposter syndrome has been a challenge, how do we keep it at bay? How can we change our self-talk as leaders? 

• Quieten the voice of doubt 
• Trust the realness of you to deliver outcomes, it is your authenticity and integrity in seeing a course of action through that people will follow 
• Demonstrate the life-long pathway of learning and encourage others to embrace the challenge of growth 
• Concentrate on belonging and becoming, give yourself the permission to feel you belong in your role as a leader, with humility and quiet strength. 

 Quieten the inner critic, embrace renewal and growth, and lead with authentic confidence.