Imposter Syndrome: Managing Your Inner Critic

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I have been working all over the world, helping teams and individuals flourish, for over 20 years. I work with many leaders who are pushed to their limit by so many challenges and competing demands, and the drive to be the best they can be.

Clinical psychologists, Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes, first identified and named this phenomenon back in 1978. We hear this term all the time – so what is imposter syndrome?

‘’Imposter syndrome is the condition of feeling anxious and not experiencing success internally, despite being high-performing in external, objective ways. This condition often results in people feeling like a ‘fraud’ or a ‘phony’ and doubting their abilities.’’

I have so many talented, bright, successful clients who struggle with this. Despite all the evidence to the contrary, a little voice tells them they have achieved their success through luck or chance, they are not good enough, and that one day someone will find them out! They overwork, push themselves to be perfect, isolate themselves, downplay their achievements and are often self-critical.

According to research carried out by Deloitte, over 70% of us experience imposter syndrome at some point in our careers. It can impact our mental wellness, ability to create balance, relationships with others, productivity and ability to reach our potential. Not only this but feeling unable to manage imposter syndrome can get in the way of feeling happy, calm and confident.

Does this sound like you, or someone you support?

How would life be different if you could overcome these feelings?

What would be the impact, if you had some tools to help you manage this?

In this masterclass, I talked about what Imposter Syndrome really is and how it shows up and shared some practical strategies to help you manage it. Perhaps you are coaching or mentoring others who struggle with this. All the tools I share are great for supporting others as they navigate this challenge too.