3 methods to overcome imposter syndrome as a leader

What is imposter syndrome? Is it really that common?

Psychology Today defines imposter syndrome as a state of mind where someone believes that they are undeserving of their achievements and the high esteem that others hold them in. They believe that they aren’t as competent or intelligent as others think, and always feel on the brink of being exposed as a fraud. People who experience this are often well accomplished and hold high positions but feel that don’t have what it takes to live up to what they’ve achieved or where they’ve been placed.

There are some telltale signs of imposter syndrome, including, but not limited to:

Perfectionism

Intense fear of failure

Overpreparation

Unfortunately, imposter syndrome is one of the most common feelings that someone in a leadership role can experience, and it’s continuously growing. Intelligent People compiled an interesting list of statistics that shows just how prevalent it has become among leaders:

58% of tech leaders experienced imposter syndrome at some point in their careers, according to a Harvard Business Review article

70% of C-suite executives agreed that imposter syndrome is a challenge in their careers

75% of women in leadership roles experience imposter syndrome

62% of entrepreneurs and start-up founders are affected by imposter syndrome

Based on these statistics, it’s safe to say that you likely have or are experiencing imposter syndrome, especially if you’re in a leadership role. Whether you’re a C-suite executive at a global corporation, an entrepreneur getting their start-up off the ground, or someone who’s been tasked with leading a project at work, imposter syndrome can take its toll.

What can you do to overcome imposter syndrome?

When it comes to imposter syndrome, the most important step to take to overcome it is to realize that it is a deceptive mindset. Imposter syndrome stems from your negative voice, which creates a false perception about yourself and attempts to frame it as true. Your negative voice is a part of your subconscious mind, which you can control with your conscious mind. You alone can control your thoughts and what the voice within your head says. There are a lot of actions you can take to make this easier on yourself and stifle your imposter syndrome at the source. Here are just a few:

Challenge it head-on

Some of the best things you can do to overcome imposter syndrome involve challenging it head on. Psychology Today offers some convenient ideas on how exactly to do that. First, you can challenge your inner critic by questioning the validity of your self-deprecating thoughts. Reframe negative statements that hold you to unrealistic standards into positive statements that affirm your strengths and achievements.

Accompany this with evidence by tracking your accomplishments, contributions, and wins, and you will have irrefutable evidence in front of you to suppress those negative thoughts. When you do accomplish something, celebrate it! Don’t give in to the thoughts telling you that it’s not a big deal, or diminishing what you have done, or perhaps even telling you that it wasn’t a win at all. Recognize wins for what they are and acknowledge everything you did to get them.

Gather feedback, trust your people

If you want to get accurate information on where you stand and how you are performing, the best thing you do is to gather feedback. Have regular, ongoing, and open discussions with your team members, peers, and leaders and take the feedback they provide you with as useful information. Use these discussions as a way to gain clarity on your performance and understand the reality of your situation as opposed to what your imposter syndrome is telling you. Write down the feedback you receive and make a trackable plan of action to act upon them, show your progress, and leave no room for the ambiguity where imposter syndrome thrives.

Delegate work

Sometimes, it’s important to take a step back and realize that you might simply have too much on your plate. This is especially common in leaders, being responsible for so many tasks and people at once. One of the most useful skills to have as a leader is the ability to delegate appropriately. Fortunately, it’s also a tool that can be used to challenge your imposter syndrome. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, and you can feel your imposter syndrome taking over, consider delegating some of the work to your team, easing your workload and giving yourself some extra mental bandwidth.

The bottom line

Struggling with imposter syndrome can be an extremely isolating. It’s important to know that you are not the only person who has gone through it. Imposter syndrome is very common, and statistically, much more likely to crop up in leaders. Given it’s commonality, overcoming imposter syndrome has become something of a science, with so many ordinary people sharing their experiences and how they emerged from their struggles. There are many resources you can use and actions you can take to shut down imposter syndrome, allowing your true self shine through. By challenging your negative thoughts and relying on those around you, you can obtain the positivity, clarity, and bandwidth you need to stop your imposter syndrome in its tracks.

Want to learn more ways you can overcome your imposter syndrome? Check out our podcast episode with Michele Molitor, Certified Dignify Partner and one of the leading experts on the topic.