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Imposter Syndrome in The Workplace
Imposter Syndrome in the Workplace
Imposter syndrome is very natural and happens to a lot of people. We hope this blog will help you overcome and tackle your feelings of imposter syndrome in a positive and supportive way.
What is Imposter Syndrome?
Imposter syndrome is the feeling that despite your achievements and skills, you haven’t earned a certain role, promotion or achievement. Imposter syndrome can be about anything and won’t necessarily be work related. This being said, our blog today is specifically targeting imposter syndrome in the workplace.
It’s generally a very mental thing, and is the way inner insecurities, fears and worries manifest themselves. We want you to realise that you are absolutely good enough and have the skills required to do your role.
What are the Causes of Imposter Syndrome?
Imposter syndrome in the workplace normally stems from stepping outside your comfort zone, self-doubt or feeling intellectually inferior.
It’s important to figure out the cause of your feelings, so you can tackle it head on. This being said, as imposter syndrome is a subconscious feeling identifying the cause can often be challenging. So, start by asking yourself a series of questions which could help you get to the bottom of the problem:
- Have you got a new job?
- Got a new promotion?
- Started a new role?
- Got a new boss?
- Struggling with the workload?
- Finding a college hard to deal with?
- Got a meeting or presentation which is stressing you out?
- Stress at home which is deflecting onto your work life?
If you have moved company, job role or even had a stressful meeting, feelings of doubt and insecurities may make themselves apparent.
Try and remember that everyone has doubts, worries and insecurities, and you aren’t alone here. You have earned your position and place in the company and have the skills to do the job to the best of your ability. Remember, you wouldn’t have been hired if you didn’t have the right qualifications.
How Can You Overcome Imposter Syndrome?
There are a few different things to try which may help you overcome your feelings of imposter syndrome.
Let others lift you up! Always talk to someone you trust and feel close to. Expressing your feelings and saying them out loud will allow you to digest and understand the issues more clearly. It could be beneficial to talk to someone not related to the company, so you get an honest outside perspective. This may also help if your colleges are the reason for your insecurities.
Equally, some may find it more comforting to open up to someone in the office who you feel confident and happy around. This means you have a friendly face at work who you can go to for support if you are feeling low.
In some cases, it may be helpful to hire professional help, to have someone talk you through how you are feeling.
Don’t Compare Yourself to Others.
Comparing yourself to others is something everyone is guilty of, but something we should all try hard to avoid. It’s difficult to stop comparing yourself to someone who seems completely put together. But, what does this achieve? Nothing, apart from making you lose self-esteem and confidence.
Everybody is different, so try not to use other people as a benchmark for what you can personally achieve in your work and personal life. Don’t idolise or compare yourself to others. You are the most important!
Set reasonable expectations for yourself and don’t set these as a comparison to other people’s knowledge, skills or workload. Set them for yourself.
You Won’t Always Have the Answers
It’s okay not to know the answers all of the time!
Not knowing the answers is the most common reason for imposter syndrome. We implore you to see it as a positive rather than a negative and a chance to grow and develop. Not knowing something doesn’t make you an imposter or fraud, it makes you human. The best way to try and overcome this is being open to learning, and not being afraid to ask.
It’s important to develop a healthy response to failure, it’s normal and okay to fail. It’s the way you grow and learn from your mistakes which is more important.
Keep Track of Your Achievements.
Keeping a list of accomplishments is a great way to give yourself a confidence boost if you are having a bad day. Having a notebook or diary to list your achievements throughout the day/week may help you visualise all the things you have worked on and successfully accomplished.
Write at least one thing you aim to achieve each day, so you have a clear goal and incentive. This could help you keep focused on what you need to do and want to achieve.
‘Fake it till you make it.’
Imposter syndrome is normal and is definitely more common when moving somewhere new. When imposer syndrome hits, its best to stay active and practise what you find most difficult. We know that may sound scary, but the more you do it and learn from it the less scary it will be.
Take the risks you are scared to take, don’t put it off just do it. This will actually help you become more confident, until you’re no longer faking it.
Seek confidence from outside of the workplace.
Maybe get involved in a hobby, exercise, music etc outside of the workplace which will occupy your mind and allow you to focus on other things. There are external programs, projects and events which can and should be transferred into a workplace environment. This may give you more confidence when in the office or in a workplace environment.
Think about Your Mindset
In all honesty the only way to truly overcome imposter syndrome, is to change your mindset and how you view yourself, your work and your colleges. We aren’t saying it’s an easy or quick process. However, we hope this advice helps you battle those feelings, so you will eventually see how crucial you are for your workplace and office environment.
Stay safe,
Team Affecto