My #WorkHack for Imposter Syndrome

Imposter Syndrome is a hot topic for many people I have the privilege of coaching. Most of them are new to their roles or newly promoted. However, I will find the occasional OG that finds they are suffering from imposter syndrome when they take on a new task or project. Wherever you are in your career journey, I’m sure you have experienced this phenomenon at some point or maybe even right at this very moment.

Now, before I get completely in the weeds with my Imposter Syndrome #WorkHack, I do want to touch on what it actually is, and what it isn’t. I will do my best to be brief.

What is Imposter Syndrome?

Imposter Syndrome is a phenomenon where people feel they are undeserving of the role they are in or are not good enough to be there. Simply put, they may think: “Why on earth would they put me in this role? I have no clue what I am doing!” Imposter Syndrome can manifest in many different ways from the aforementioned to decision paralysis, to asking excessive questions, to shutting down completely.

What it is NOT

Imposter Syndrome is not a lack of knowledge and it’s not a lack of trying. To put it bluntly: it is not lying on your resume to get a job you are not qualified for and then realizing you don’t have what it takes to be there. It’s also not doing the bare minimum (or less) and wondering why your performance isn’t recognized. That’s just being reckless.

All in all: Imposter Syndrome sucks!
It’s not a fun space to be in and I don’t want you to sit in that state for longer than you have to.

How does Imposter Syndrome present itself in the workplace?

Often, leaders come to me with concerns around employees taking too long to work on a project, not asking enough questions, or asking too many questions. In many cases, this is imposter syndrome manifesting itself in a lack of confidence both for the manager and the employee. The manager sees this as a performance problem, instead of a morale and team problem (more on that in another blog post).

This can be detrimental to the employee/manager dynamic and if managers aren’t in tune with their team, they could miss it all together. Imposter Syndrome can creep in on a team or individual at any point in their career, and it is most often overlooked in those with teams of seasoned employees.

Okay. I have rambled enough, let’s get into the hack.

TL;DR: My official #WorkHack for Imposter Syndrome

If you are suffering from Imposter Syndrome, the number one thing you can do to get rid of it is to build your confidence. You DO know how to do your job, now you just have to show it. If you ask a lot of questions and/or you are afraid to ask questions or take a long time on projects, get with your manager (or senior you report to). I want you to replace any questions or doubts you have with a statement about how you want to approach the topic. Here’s an example:

Instead of saying: “Hi! I have a question on this project. How do I…?”

Replace the question with: “Hi! I ran into [this item] on my project. Here’s my plan to get it taken care of. [Fill in plan here]. Do you have any thoughts?”

Now, I know you might say: “Lynnette! There’s still a question in there!” But I want you to think of that question as a collaboration, instead of asking for an answer.

Why it works

This method presents a problem, but also a solution.

Pro-Tip: Managers and leaders LOVE when you bring solutions to problems you find instead of just problems (even if they are bad solutions).

After bringing your problem/solution communication to them, you will either get instant validation or you will gain some great knowledge of your business and an opportunity for collaboration. The additional bonus is that this makes you look like a “go-getter” by coming up with your own solution and gives your leadership the opportunity to see how you think and work through things. So, not only can you build your confidence through validation and your managers knowledge, you boost your manager’s confidence in you to work through problems. It’s truly a win-win!

Do you have a great way to tackle Imposter Syndrome? Drop a comment below to discuss!