We all have some aspect of ourselves that we consider worthless and unworthy. We believe others are judging us as we judge ourselves.
BY MICHAEL F. BROOM, Ph.D. | CEO, Center for Human Systems
The leader of a portion of a major museum complex in Washington, D.C., desperately wanted to be a better leader, but his behavior consistently defaulted toward wanting to be liked. A major television station leader in the same city spent much of his time posturing rather than leading.
Both leaders suffered from imposter syndrome, which is not unusual. Seventy to 80 percent of leaders have experienced impostor syndrome. They are deeply concerned that they are not qualified for leadership positions. They attribute their success to luck or the overestimations of others. They doubt their accomplishments and are fearful of being exposed as a fraud.
Those caught up in this syndrome find themselves trying too hard, pretending they’re OK and feeling anxious about being found to be lacking. The dread of being found out and relentless self-doubt can cloud judgment and hinder their ability to be assertive, affecting their effectiveness.
Like our two leaders, they may seek validation in counterproductive ways, leading to burnout and decreased effectiveness.
The leader of the organization development unit in a large high-tech outfit in Silicon Valley and a caption in the U.S. Navy reacted differently to their imposter syndrome. They used the fear of being found out to overcompensate.
They both suffered from over-diligence, perfectionism and a relentless cycle of over-preparation and procrastination. They over-worked themselves into success. They paid for it with anxiety attacks and poor work-life balance.
There is no research evidence that imposter syndrome consistently decreases leadership effectiveness. Whether the syndrome affects performance is an individual issue. That means self-awareness and making conscious choices can help.
We all have some aspect of ourselves that we consider worthless and unworthy. We believe others are judging us as we judge ourselves. A psychologist friend calls it the “core of rot” that everyone has and developed during our formative years.
Imposter syndrome is an excessive focus on our core of rot. When you notice it, it is time to refocus.
A group of students once asked me how I managed the racism and internalized oppression that can make it difficult for Black people to feel good about themselves and succeed in predominantly white organizations.
It thought about it, then responded, “I focus on doing the best I can do, not on my self-doubt or whatever racism might be lurking around.” Where I focus my thoughts and energy is my choice — no one else. Focusing on my self-doubt or the racism of others diminishes my ability to be effective.
There are certainly stressful situations where my self-doubts want to overwhelm me. Occasionally, they succeed, and I find myself over-compensating, trying too hard, and making myself miserable.
When I notice that, I make myself take a break to pull myself together. Sometimes, I need to call a colleague to remind me of who I am now, that I’m no longer an insecure kid. I can’t do without my support system!
We overestimate the value of self-confidence: At some point, you have not done well when you were feeling good about yourself and done well when you weren’t feeling good about yourself. Our confidence has nothing to do with the ability to get to where you want to go. We feel good or poorly about ourselves, depending on the story we have about ourselves at any given point.
We all have a variety of both kinds of stories. When you’re feeling down about yourself, switch to some of your positive stories. Change the channel of your thoughts. It is your choice.
In summary, most of us experience the imposter syndrome from time to time. It is not unusual. Those self-doubts are old messages from our formative years that are no longer on target. When you notice them intruding, refocus on the task at hand. Remind yourself of the effort you successfully put into getting where you are. Call on your support system without embarrassment. Your core of rot is something we all have. Make the choice to have it; don’t let it have you.
Michael F. Broom, Ph.D., is an organizational psychologist with 45 years of experience with various people and organizations. He is the author of “The Infinite Organization” and “Power, The Infinite Game” with Donald Klein.
Formerly of Johns Hopkins University, he founded the Center for Human Systems and is a Lifetime Achievement Award honoree of the OD Network.
Contact Dr. Broom for coaching and consulting for your organization at michael@chumans.com. For more information on the Center for Human Systems, visit chumans.com.
