How to Mitigate Impostor Syndrome

By couriermedia.com

Maybe you consider yourself a phony who’ll be exposed at any moment; you’re a perfectionist who’s never happy with what you’ve created; or you think you need to do everything yourself to avoid looking incompetent.

Sound familiar at all? Impostor syndrome comes in many shapes and sizes – and it’s a particularly common affliction for those running their own thing. Making it disappear is the aim, but keeping it in check is a more realistic goal – doing so is essential for your mental health and the health of your business. Here’s what you can do to minimise its impact.

HERE’S HOW

01: IDENTIFY THE SIGNS Consider the five key impostor types (see below) and reflect on any persistent and intrusive negative thoughts you have. 02: FIGURE OUT WHERE IT MIGHT COME FROM Consider, for instance, whether you’ve had bad treatment from managers in the past, or how you respond to others’ successes. Do the work and think about why you’re experiencing those kinds of feelings. 03: UNDERSTAND WHY OTHERS MAY BE CRITICAL Social conditions and expectations can make impostor syndrome worse - be aware of stereotypes, especially when they confirm your own negative thoughts.

04: USE YOUR SUPPORT NETWORK Confide in your co-founder, a family member, mentor or a close colleague, or look to external communities. Surround yourself with people who are as willing to talk about their flaws as their successes.

05: CONDUCT A PERSONAL SWOT ANALYSIS Analyse your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Consider your qualifications and achievements to end up with a more rational and objective picture of what you’re good at, and areas you need to improve.

06: REFLECT PROPERLY ON YOUR SUCCESSES AND FAILURES Write down your wins and losses and think about them objectively. Figure out the real reasons things went wrong while taking a note of things you’ve done well – no matter how small they might seem.

TIPS AND TRICKS

There’s a difference between impostor syndrome and humility Impostor syndrome is when you begin confusing fact and fiction – for example, when you think your successes are luck or a mistake, and your failures validate the narrative you have in your mind. It’s rife among business owners Harvard Business Review once asked CEOs about their biggest fears, and ‘being found to be incompetent’ came out on top. People are often reluctant to talk about their professional failures, and the media doesn’t exactly paint a picture of reality. Hearing other business owners’ true experiences is often a big first step to realizing you aren’t an impostor after all. It’s more prevalent if you’re under-represented Impostor syndrome is particularly common among women, people of color, people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and other demographics that aren’t adequately represented in business. Business owners that fall into these groups may have internalized elements of systemic oppression or stereotyping. For these people, tackling impostor syndrome on an individual level is important – but the real solutions are more systemic. There are five key types Valerie Young, an expert on impostor syndrome, defines them. The Perfectionist focuses on how well things are done; The Expert feels a need to know and understand everything; The Soloist needs to complete tasks alone; The Natural Genius criticizes themselves for failing to get things right on the first attempt; and The Superhero views competence in terms of the number of roles and responsibilities they can juggle.