What is imposter syndrome and how does it affect employers?

People experiencing imposter syndrome believe they are lesser than others believe them to be and are consumed by dread that this will be discovered. They see successes as the result of good luck and not as the result of their own skill and performance.

Imposter syndrome is something that anyone can experience regardless of their social status, or their work background, degree of expertise or their skill level. This can have a big impact on a person that is in a working environment and can affect a person’s productivity and performance in the workplace as they struggle with imposter syndrome. This will result in them having a distorted, negative self-perception of themselves.

The term “imposter syndrome” can be sub-categorised into five different archetypes:

• The Perfectionist – has anxiety over how things are done;
• The Expert – Fears having a lack of knowledge;
• The Soloist – Feels pressure to handle things alone and not ask for assistance;
• The Natural Genius – Stresses over not succeeding on the first try; and
• The Superhuman – Feels guilty if they do not please everyone or fall short.

A study carried out by HR News in May 2021 found that out of 1,000 adults, 85% (90% of women and 80% of men) expressed that they felt incompetent at work even though all participants had been working in their industries for at least three years. Despite this large portion of adults feeling this way, only 25% of this group were aware of how they felt.

In the workplace and generally, it is important to have awareness of imposter syndrome and what it is. So that if you or someone you manage is suffering from imposter syndrome, you have the tools to combat it.

Share how you are feeling

Imposter syndrome is a very isolating feeling. But as stated above, these feelings are very common in the workplace. So the next time you’re feeling this way, try to share those feelings with someone else. 

There are two advantages to sharing how you’re feeling:

• Instead of internalising the emotions, recognise them and move on. When you keep your feelings of imposter syndrome a secret, they grow bigger and harder to deal with. Sharing these feelings with someone else is a great way to recognise them on the path towards overcoming imposter syndrome.
• You might find someone who has also experienced imposter syndrome. Unfortunately, imposter syndrome is a common workplace phenomenon. You might find that the person you confide in has also felt imposter syndrome in the past. This helps you feel like you aren’t so alone in the way you’re feeling.

Look for evidence

If acknowledging or sharing your feelings isn’t helping, try fighting your feelings with the evidence. Often, imposter syndrome isn’t based on facts—so focus on the facts to fight these feelings. 

If you often feel like you aren’t getting your work done on time, try these steps:

• Go back over your most recent projects. 
• Review the work you’ve done to see if these feelings are based in fact. 
• If they are, you’ve identified something concrete you can work on and improve upon. 
• If they aren’t, use these facts as evidence that you are good enough!

Toot your own horn!

Sometimes, the best way to fight imposter syndrome is to face it head on. The next time you feel like you did something well, celebrate it! If you’re comfortable, share your accomplishment with your team. You aren’t limited to doing this when you do a good job, either. Try creating a list of the qualities and skills you possess. These can be specific to your role—like being a great salesperson—or more general to who you are, like always being there for your team members.

Try to create an inclusive and open environment

Employees should be comfortable to speak up when they’re having a problem without the fear of being seen as incompetent. Try to create an inclusive environment that helps employees open up. So things like letting everyone have an equal amount of time to speak in meetings, making sure there’s no interruptions. If people do mention their mistakes, acknowledge them, but steer the conversation towards what they’ve learnt and potential for future wins.

Use regular positive feedback 

This is one of the best things you can do to help alleviate your team’s issues with imposter syndrome. By providing regular and positive feedback, you’re empowering your employees and helping to reduce doubt – you want to help them find the self-awareness and self-acceptance to push past imposter syndrome.

Recognise people’s accomplishments

When suffering from imposter syndrome, many employees will fixate on a supposed lack of talent or skill. So bypass this by instead praising the processes and methods they used to get results. Praise effort – not results. So tell your team ‘I’ve noticed you worked hard on this’ as opposed ‘this is great work’ – this offers the praise to combat imposter syndrome but in a way which highlights the work they’ve done to get there.

Overcoming imposter syndrome won't happen overnight, but there are concrete ways you can prevent it from sabotaging you. The phrase "knowledge is power" rings true. The more you learn about your job and your industry, and the more you focus on your professional development, the more power you have at the ready. Don't let imposter syndrome get in the way any longer.

If you have concerns or questions about imposter syndrome or are interested in any further information on this topic, please contact our Employment Team by emailing employment@warnegoodman.co.uk or calling 023 8071 7717.