Imposter Syndrome: The Hidden Roadblock for Your Employees

Confidence is prized in our workplaces. But what happens when the confidence we see on the outside isn’t felt on the inside?

More and more, we read about employees (and leaders) who struggle with imposter syndrome. This psychological pattern causes high-achieving individuals, with plenty of evidence of their competence, to feel like frauds and worry that they’re just a step away from being discovered for the imposters they “really” are.

These individuals often brush aside pats on the back, attributing their success to luck or hard work, rather than ability and knowledge. They often struggle with perfectionism, workaholism or procrastination, putting in extra hours to “cover any flaws.”

Employees experiencing imposter syndrome are also less likely to ask for a raise, less likely to throw their hat in the ring for a promotion and more likely to decline your suggestion to head a new project. They may feel they either don’t deserve these things or that they put them a step closer to being “discovered.”

Why it’s a problem

Now you may be thinking, “a high-achieving employee who doesn’t ask for a raise … works extra hours … seems satisfied where they are … why is this a bad thing?”

For several reasons: First, perfectionism and workaholism easily lead to job stress and burnout. These employees don’t fully internalize and enjoy their successes. They suddenly quit and managers had no idea the individual was unsatisfied. Secondly, it isolates people because self-doubt isn’t something we talk openly about. Hiding these feelings is stressful. And thirdly and most importantly, it holds competent people back. They quietly lean away from new assignments or promotional opportunities. And organizations miss out on their leadership and their ideas.

How organizations may be contributing

“Modern workplaces are feeding a sense of inadequacy in the face of a track record of achievement and success of individuals,” suggests Amina Aitsi-Selmi for phys.org.

Several factors are thought to contribute:

• Workplace volatility creates a competitive and unstable environment. There’s little job security, employees change bosses frequently and tech-oriented workers are often promoted into management roles requiring an entirely different set of skills from those that led to their success.
• Diversity and hidden biases cause workers to question their own competence. “Did affirmative action play a role in my being chosen?” And stereotypes and unconscious bias can lead to segments of employees being questioned about competence at a higher rate than the majority.
• Work cultures that reward overconfidence make it difficult for workers to express reservations, uncertainty or even disagreement. Instead, competence is the true prize and should be valued in helping organizations and teams avoid missteps.

How to spot imposter syndrome

“Not good enough” is the typical thought associated with imposter syndrome, reminds Roxanne Hobbs for hrzone.com. These individuals shrug off achievements and stop short of applying for promotions or special projects. They may also struggle with perfectionism or workaholism. 

How organizations can intervene

• Create workplace relationships where it’s ok to talk about self-doubt. Mentorship programs are one good way to support those struggling with impostorism. By sharing experiences and advice, mentors can help proteges work through feelings of self-doubt and understand that these feelings are common. Supportive managers can also build trusting relationships, providing frequent positive feedback and open discussion of self-doubt and new ideas. Read more here about valuing employees.
• Build employee knowledge so workers feel more competent and are less likely to have invisible holes in their confidence. Formal training, coaching and mentoring would all work to help build confidence.
• Nudge high-achieving, hesitant workers upward and support them. Keep an eye on workers’ career trajectories. Use real metrics of job performance to assess employees when determining salaries and opportunities for promotions, rather than assuming a quiet employee is a happy one.

When high-achieving individuals feel like frauds, it’s known as imposter syndrome. And while many individuals struggling with these feelings can push past, for others there’s a big effect on job satisfaction.

For more information on things you can do to address your own imposter syndrome, check out my earlier post: 10 Little Things You Can Do to Bypass Your Imposter Syndrome.