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Photo courtesy AFETT –
CHARLENE PEDRO
Dear AFETT,
This makes no sense, I know, but the more promotions and accolades I get in my work life, the more I question my capacity and capabilities.
Sometimes I wonder why I am trusted to take on big projects when I don’t even trust myself.
I always feel like I am one decision away from messing up royally.
I try to rationalise it by telling myself that if I have done it before, I can do it again, but most times those words feel empty and hollow.
How can I stop constantly doubting myself for no good reason?
Dear Jane,
Have you ever said to yourself – “I’m really not capable of doing this,” or “Everyone here is so much smarter than me”?
This self-talk of self-doubt is, arguably, a major roadblock on women’s journey to the C-suite.
Many women, like you, feel daunted as they pursue senior roles and climb the corporate ladder. They feel uncomfortable, unprepared and unqualified.
This mindset of self-inflicted self-doubt despite your accomplishments has a name – the impostor syndrome.
Impostor syndrome is a term coined in 1978 by clinical psychologists Dr Pauline R Clance and Suzanne A Imes, referring to high-achieving individuals marked by an inability to internalise their accomplishments and a persistent fear of being exposed as a “fraud.”
Impostorism expert Dr Valerie Young’s research suggests women are more likely to experience feelings of job ineptitude than men because they internalise setbacks as a failure in their ability, rather than considering external factors.
Dr Young, in her book The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women, indicates that there are five different types of patterns in people who experience impostor syndrome:
– Expert: You feel you need to have all the information before you get moving. You are constantly looking for a new course to get another certificate. You wouldn’t apply for a job if you didn’t meet every criterion. You may be hesitant to ask a question or speak up at a meeting for fear of looking stupid.
– Perfectionist: You have extremely high expectations for yourself. You feel you must meet 99.9 per cent of your goals, otherwise you feel like a failure.
– Natural genius: You’re so used to your skills coming easy to you that when you have to work hard, or even struggle, to accomplish something, you think this means you aren’t good enough. You feel that’s proof that you’re an impostor.
– Soloist: You are so accustomed to flying solo, doing your own thing, that when you have to ask for help you feel you are a failure or fraud.
– Superwoman: You feel you must succeed in all aspects of life and push yourself to prove you are not an impostor. You then feel stressed out if you are not accomplishing your goal.
If you have experienced impostor syndrome, it’s important to note that you are not alone. I too have experienced impostor syndrome.
Up to 82 per cent of people face feelings of impostor phenomenon, struggling with the sense they haven’t earned what they’ve achieved and are a fraud.
Nobel Laureate Maya Angelou said, “I have written 11 books, but each time I think ‘Uh-oh, they’re going to find out now.’ I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.”
Despite winning three Grammys and being nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award, she still questioned her success.
Now that we know there is a name for this “thing” we feel and we are not alone, we can focus on combating that fear so it will not control our actions and limit our potential.
Here are some tips that worked for me that you can try:
Call yourself out
Tune in to your internal conversations and call yourself out when you’re having that negative chatter in your head.
Learn to turn off your negative self-script and develop a new script that will be a rational, positive voice.
Have a mantra reminding yourself that you’ve worked hard and you’re capable.
Stop the comparisons
While we might read biographies and admire our role models, remember you aren’t here to live another person’s life. You have your own path to create.
Everyone has different talents and is on a different journey. Respect and own your authentic experience.
Talk it out
Shame can sometimes keep us from reaching out for help.
Sharing your feelings with a trusted friend or mentor will help you realise that you are not alone and that your impostor feelings are normal and irrational. Focus on the progress you have made.
Claim your success
Women tend to attribute their success to external factors – we got lucky or someone helped us.
As women, we need to claim our success. A simple exercise of journalling or making a list of your accomplishments, qualifications and successful projects will remind you and serve as evidence that it can’t be luck.
The impostor syndrome hinders women from taking that step into leadership and executive roles as it may affect a person’s performance, keeping them stuck with impostor feelings.
You can become the victim of a self-fulfilling prophecy. You must constantly remind yourself that you have what it takes.
You are smarter than you think. You are more powerful than you know. You are more than enough.
This article was submitted by the Association of Female Executives of TT (AFETT).
AFETT is a non-profit organisation formed in 2002 with the goal of bringing together professional women and engaging in networking opportunities, training and business development.
Ask AFETT is brought to you by the Research and Public Advocacy team and addresses issues and concerns of executive and entrepreneurial professionals.
