Feeling slightly out of your depth?
Have you ever felt slightly out of your depth?
Well, you are not alone. Seventy-five percent (75%) of executive women report having personally experienced “imposter syndrome” at certain points in their career.[1]
I started to hear about this term when doing customer research for my startup, Meiava. Surprisingly, when I spoke with women at various stages of their lives and career, they mentioned one or more times where they experienced “imposter syndrome.” Some of the most accomplished women leaders have experienced a time they doubted their ability.
What exactly is imposter syndrome?
It is when an individual has intense doubts about their skills and talents, downplays their accomplishments, and has an internalized fear of being exposed.[2] Another way to view it may be to call it a “confidence gap” describing the way one perceives their own capabilities to how competent they really are.
The concept was first coined in 1978 in a study of high-achieving women. But let’s face it - it is not just gender specific to women – others experience it too.
When do you experience it?
Applying for a new job, especially if it is a step up in responsibility level or a different industry, is an example of a situation when imposter syndrome may set in. Reading the role description, you may check off many of the capabilities, skills, and experience but not all the requirements. No one is perfect! For some people, this may prompt them to second guess whether to apply for the role at all.
Sharing my own experience, the feeling of being slightly out of my depth was when I made a career pivot from a Global Managing Director role with a professional services firm, to be a Founder of a tech startup. After several years in one industry and feeling confident in what I was doing and how I was performing, it was scary to dive into a completely new field. While my business experience has proven to be highly adaptable, learning to design and build a product that customers love, getting a scrappy minimal viable product out there quickly in the market to test, and building a brand from scratch, has been a tremendous learning curve. The first two tries at product failed to gain traction. And, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the sales cycle has been much longer than anticipated. I ask myself constantly, do I have what it takes to build a successful startup business? And for the first time in my career, I often doubt my capabilities, patience, and tenacity to keep exploring the deep waters.
Why this happens and its impact
“We very often reinforce things when we put things in the negative.”
Imposter syndrome heightens the stress and anxiety that we feel, especially when we place a high value on what others think of us.
We live in an age where social media can be both a positive influence and tool, yet also fuel a sense of envy and competition when you benchmark yourself to others. It may exacerbate stereotype views on what success looks like.
For some people, the impact of imposter syndrome is to hold us back from doing things, or we procrastinate and delay our actions. To compensate for our diminished level of confidence, we may manage risks by moderating our actions.
2 strategies to manage imposter syndrome
Keeping imposter syndrome at bay is hard and takes a mindset shift. Consider these two simple strategies that I am personally using to manage the feeling of self-doubt. Try it yourself or when coaching others who feel slightly out of their depths.
1. Write a new narrative
Disrupt the internalized feeling of imposter syndrome by reminding yourself of your why – why are you doing this? Afterall, if it is important enough to you and something that you want, you will find a way to do it.
Embrace imperfection and celebrate examples of you at your personal best. Write down your strengths, highlight accomplishments you have had, and moments of brilliance to be proud of.
When setbacks happen, note what you learned from the experience and might do differently.
Set weekly or monthly goals for yourself, taking clear steps towards your broader vision.
2. Get supporters
Don’t do it alone. Surround yourself with people who believe in you and can provide the advice, support, and motivation that you need.
In fact, to overcome imposter syndrome, 72% of executive women looked to the advice of a mentor or trusted advisor when doubting their abilities to take on new roles.[3]
Your supporters are often people who are in your inner circle right now, but also consider broadening the perspectives. Look at ways to add advisors who have experience and expertise in domains that are relevant and can support your goals.
Former US First Lady, Michelle Obama says it best, “You break out of imposter syndrome by practice and work. Because what is the alternative? You are told that you can’t.” Listen to her inspiring story and dive in to explore the new growth opportunities that you want. View: Michelle Obama Speaks About Imposter Syndrome.
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[1] KPMG. Advancing the Future of Women in Business: A KPMG Women’s Leadership Summit Report. October 2021.
[2] Behavioral Science Research Institute. The Impostor Phenomenon. 2011
[3] KPMG. Advancing the Future of Women in Business: A KPMG Women’s Leadership Summit Report. October 2021.