The Imposter Syndrome 

By Ashley Dugger and Joseline Castaños

It is in our human nature to want to succeed. We strive to perform our roles well and experience job satisfaction and fulfillment. For HR professionals, it is also essential to help others succeed. Often, imposter syndrome rears its ugly get and can get in the way.  Oxford defines imposter syndrome as “the persistent inability to believe that one’s success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one’s own efforts or skills.”  Overcoming it is key to fulfillment and opening ourselves up to opportunities.

How do we even know if we or those around us are experiencing imposter syndrome? It can manifest itself in different ways. The Impostor Syndrome Institute’s co-founder Dr. Valerie Young identified five different types: the perfectionist, the expert, the natural genius, the soloist, and the superhuman.  The perfectionist does not see anything other than 100% as good enough and can feel shame if perfection is not achieved. The expert must know everything and believes any gaps in knowledge equal failure. The natural genius not only needs to possess knowledge and perfection but craves it at a fast speed and missing the first try is shameful. The soloist must achieve and do so without help – needing help or getting coaching is considered shameful. Finally, the superhuman needs to excel in all roles (professionally and personally) and juggle them to perfection. Knowing our type requires looking inward.

Self-awareness begins with asking ourselves questions about these impostor types and honestly answering how we feel. Do I need to do it all on my own? Do I feel shame if I don’t get something 100% right? Do I feel I can’t ask for help from my colleagues or leaders? Do I need to say yes to everything and joyfully and effectively perform? Even when I achieve, do I feel I don’t deserve the praise, the promotion, or even the acknowledgment? Do I dismiss praise and deflect compliments? Speaking out loud about these feelings and showing vulnerability is important to create a safe space where others can be open. 

Recognizing our feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy can make it easier to spot them in others. Do you hear deflection when complimenting others? It wasn’t me; it was a team effort. As noble as this may sound, this employee may feel their contribution was insufficient. When giving constructive feedback, are some employees taking it as defeat? Maybe they feel they failed because their performance was not 100% up to standard.  Are you seeing capable employees who will not raise their hands for projects or promotions? It may be the feelings of inadequacy getting in the way. Unchecked imposter syndrome may lead to anxiety and depression, which are rising in our society, especially among minorities. It can also lead to an organizational culture of fear when one must always excel.

As with so many professional development opportunities, HR is in a unique position to not only support their employees and leaders at the organization, but they also must ensure they are working to improve in the same areas personally! HR Morning recently shared that 40% of respondents to a recently isolved “Voice of the Workforce” research report noted that they feel they struggle to overcome imposter syndrome. A primary strategy for assisting employees with overcoming feelings of imposter syndrome includes building trust. Building practical trust in the workplace with our colleagues and leaders can alleviate micromanagement and build confidence as employees see they are trusted to handle their work responsibilities and meet or surpass performance expectations. If you have an employee who is working to overcome imposter syndrome, work on a plan with the employee and their supervisor to engage the employee in new projects where their strengths can shine, thus building confidence for them also to approach other projects or tasks where they may have hesitation or fear to branch into something new. Over time, this type of growth mindset and continuous challenge will assist employees in feeling more confident, competent, and trusted in the workplace. You should also focus on individual motivators – figure out what is considered an incentive to the employee and how they are motivated so that you can better support them in breaking the imposter syndrome cycle. If you know someone who is particularly motivated by external recognition, work with them on a high-profile project to get them involved in new tasks while simultaneously broadening their network and gaining confidence as the project completes and can be praised publicly! A project doesn’t need to be completed perfectly to be praised – there are always lessons learned and “wins” that can be found no matter the situation. 

Continuous feedback from their leader is also crucial in helping employees overcome imposter syndrome. Sometimes we can overlook how impactful a small gesture of appreciation or positive feedback can be. Regular constructive feedback and praise when things go well can be an incredibly strong confidence builder for someone working through imposter syndrome. Knowing others may have also struggled with imposter syndrome can facilitate conversation and sharing strategies with those just starting their journey. As noted earlier, there is actually an Imposter Syndrome Institute! They offer books, articles, coaching training, and workshops. In 2020, Trish Taylor published “Yes! You are Good Enough: End Imposter Syndrome, Overthinking, and Perfectionism and Do What YOU Want” and shares lessons learned on how our words have power; how our thoughts impact our beliefs; and how we can change the stories we tell ourselves that we aren’t good enough so that we can start the journey of overcoming imposter syndrome once and for all! While there are numerous podcasts, books, and other resources on this topic, you can also consider starting an employee resource group or mentoring group to help overcome imposter syndrome.  Knowing the organization and its HR professionals are committed to developing confident, successful, and engaged employees to best utilize their strengths can also create much-needed psychological safety in the workplace at the same time.