You’re terrified to make a presentation at work, but it’s not normal jitters that are keeping you awake. You’re thinking “Why should anyone listen to me?”
You’ve worked hard your whole career, and you beat out many other candidates to get your current leadership position. But you sit at your desk, terrified that any day, everyone is going to discover how incompetent you are.
I’m describing examples of imposter syndrome, and it affects women and people of colour disproportionately.
The term was coined in 1978 by two American psychologists, and it refers to the feelings of inadequacy that someone has—despite proof of their success and accomplishments.
While it may sound like women with low self-confidence or low self-esteem would suffer the most from imposter syndrome, that’s not the case. Many intelligent women in leadership deal with these feelings on a regular basis.
According to KPMG’s Advancing the Future of Women in Business: A KPMG Women’s Leadership Summit Report, 75% of female executives across industries have experienced imposter syndrome at some point in their careers.
Have you? If so, here are three ways to keep these doubts and fears from sabotaging your career.
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Pause, breathe and look within.
Next time you’re in a situation where you feel like a fraud, stop and ask yourself How does this situation threaten my identity?
I want you to ask yourself this question because it’s common to go into a difficult conversation or conflict feeling like it’s all about YOU.
It’s natural to feel attacked and take things personally when you’re interacting with a toxic co-worker or boss.
By asking how the situation threatens your identity, you’ll have insight into why you’re feeling attacked, incompetent or unworthy.
I think you’ll find that you’re better equipped to take your power back before a difficult conversation—instead of questioning your competence and self-worth after the fact.
Watching my free presentation How to Have Difficult Conversations at Work can also empower women in leadership to get to the root of dysfunctions and start to overcome self-doubt.
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Approach conflict in a positive way.
Workplace conflict can stir up so many emotions. Women in leadership often find that feelings of self-doubt flare up in challenging or heated conversations.
When you’re navigating a conflict at work, remember that there are three things to accept about yourself:
- You will make mistakes
- Your intentions are complex
- You have contributed to the problem
When I say you have contributed to the problem, I don’t mean to place blame. However, people tend to think of conflict in the workplace as something that’s happening to them.
By taking ownership of your role in a conflict, you’re on your way to building a foundation of respect and positivity within the workplace.
Also, once you can recognize yourself as a human being who will make mistakes, you won’t put so much pressure on yourself to be perfect. Perfectionism is a common trait among women in leadership who have imposter syndrome.
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Improve your leadership skills.
Maybe you’ve recently been promoted to a leadership position and are questioning your competency. Or, perhaps you’re a seasoned executive who is secretly overwhelmed by feelings of inadequacy.
Whatever your situation, I want to tell you that you have what it takes to be a competent, confident leader! By working with a leadership coach, you can:
- Take inventory and ownership of your accomplishments and strengths
- Explore the flawed beliefs that are holding you back
- Improve conflict management skills
- Become a powerful communicator and active listener
- Grow with the support of a trusted advisor. That KPMG study found that 72% of executive women benefited from the advice of a mentor or trusted advisor to help them get over imposter syndrome.
I know that imposter syndrome can be scary and stressful. But you’re definitely not alone, and you can overcome it!
By uncovering the underlying emotions beneath your fears, you can begin to free yourself from the uncertainty that’s standing in the way of your success.
Learn more about how my leadership coaching can help you improve your self-confidence by scheduling a complimentary 30-minute call with me.