Michael Geczi

Letting Go of Impostor Syndrome Feb. 19, 2021 Shellye Archambeau Contributor ForbesWomen I am one of tech’s first Black female CEOs, a Board Director & Author. Your career journey is challenging enough. Giving in to self-doubt will make it that much harder. … Unfortunately, a good many of us do: according to the International Journal of Behavioral Science, some 70 percent of people at some point in their lives will succumb to “impostor syndrome” … doubting our accomplishments or talents and possessing a nonstop fear of being exposed as a "fraud.” Just because we encounter it from time to time – or, in some instances, frequently – doesn’t mean we have to accept it as part of who we are. If, and when we do, it just becomes another barrier that none of needs. Instead, as with all negatives, we just have to figure out what we are going to do about it. Impostor Syndrome’s Impact Impostor syndrome, of course, is what happens when you start believing what an unjust society says about you. It is most common among girls and women, and especially women of color. “Assimilation into white and male work culture was not something that women of color chose,” says Kelly Bates, president of the Interaction Institute for Social Change. “We were forced to conform our way of dressing, speaking, working, and being so that white people, and men – in particular – would accept us as leaders, good workers, and trusted friends. … It was survival. “(But) when you assimilate, you lose a sense of self.” Fact is: It can hit anyone who is bright and ambitious and walking into unfamiliar territory. It also isn’t limited to high-achievers, and can impact people who have attained only modest success. It appears as a feeling of unease, a lingering sense that you somehow don’t “deserve” your own hard-earned accomplishments, that everyone else belongs except you. The effects of impostor syndrome play out in your subconscious, like a nagging, subtle doubt. It pings softly in the depths of your brain. • • When someone gives you a compliment, or feedback on the quality of your work – ping! When you get an opportunity to lead a group or get a promotion – ping! • Whenever you feel vulnerable, or question yourself, impostor syndrome whispers, One day, they’re going to realize I’m not as great as they think I am. “It doesn’t matter whether you are a Nobel laureate, CEO, department head, university president, or graduate student,” writes Alaina G. Levine, a STEM careers consultant, in Science magazine. “Many of us have felt like an impostor at various times in our careers, especially as we ascend into new roles and achieve milestones.” Does this sound familiar? Unchecked impostor syndrome can severely undermine your aspirations. If you don’t truly believe in yourself, it’s hard to push yourself to take the calculated risks necessary to reach your goals. You might spend a lifetime building all the skills and knowledge you need to succeed, but never gain the confidence to apply them. If you don’t have a safety net you can trust, within and around you, you might never find the courage to go after the educational degree, the job, or the life you really want. How to Battle Back No matter what bruises you sustained early in your life — be they physical or emotional — impostor syndrome doesn’t need to limit you. You can learn to work with it. Here’s how: • • • • Realize you’re in good company. Many accomplished people live with impostor syndrome. Its sly tendrils still sneak into my life at times, even today. Notice those internalized, critical, self-doubting voices when they talk to you. Understand they are not telling you the truth. Don’t believe them. Believe the people who recognize your worth. When people compliment you or promote you, they are doing so because you earned it. Take that at face value. Adopt a “fake-it-’til-you-make-it” mentality. In moments when you aren’t feeling confident, rather than letting impostor syndrome take the lead, mentality, project the confidence you want to have until it grows roots in you. Act like you know what you are doing, listen hard, and eventually you will know what you are doing. Other frequently recommended steps include speaking about your feeling with a trusted friend; documenting your successes and celebrating each one; acknowledging that perfection doesn’t exist; recognizing that you alone have the power to remedy it, and assessing those people around you who have achieved equivalent success. The Goal: Manage Impostor Moments so they don’t hinder your life Dismantling impostor syndrome isn’t a one-time thing. It tends to rear its head throughout a career. Many people repeat these proven steps multiple times in their lives, as they work to loosen the syndrome’s grip on them. “The goal is not to never feel like an impostor. The goal for me is to give [people] the tools and the insight and information to talk themselves down faster,” says impostor syndrome expert Valerie Young, the author of a book on the subject, The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women. “They can still have an impostor moment, but not an impostor life.” ###