Coach Catherine Baxter provides some useful exercises for tackling imposter syndrome.
“I have got really bad imposter syndrome!” How many times have you heard this, said it or thought it? As a leadership and performance coach I hear this said numerous times a week! It has become such a well-used phrase but what if I told you imposter syndrome isn’t real and is just a convenient way for not addressing what is really going on?
Perhaps the title imposter syndrome is just a way of capturing all the feelings of uncertainty, self-doubt and worry which can be a natural part of stepping into a new senior leadership role? If we take the big label “imposter syndrome” away, we take away some of its importance and therefore some of the pressure and feelings of overwhelm. It then allows space to look at the details of what is really going on and to address them one by one.
Maybe you are a new senior leader and are thinking “I just don’t have the skills for this job” or “People will realise I’m not up to the job.” If so, try tackling your imposter syndrome head on by looking at the following five areas;
Keep your workload under control
If you feel like your workload is enormous, try the following steps to help get it back under control:
- Identify the top three areas you are struggling with now and rank them.
- Look at the top area. Why is it important to you now?
- In six months’ time how would you like to be performing in that area?
- What small step can you take now to get you to where you’d like to be?
- When have you been in a similar situation before and what skills have you used to tackle this?
- What actions will you take next week to work on this area?
- How will you acknowledge the progress you have made?
- Repeat the steps for the other two areas
Top up your confidence
When you are new to a role, it can be hard to maintain your confidence levels. Building your confidence takes time, so keep your confidence levels topped up by thinking about the three questions below:
- What has worked well so far in this role? What am I proud I have achieved since I started this role? Did I do something I thought I could not do? What feedback have I received which I can learn from? When I am feeling confident at work how do I behave?
- What can I build on over the next few weeks? What behaviours would I like to take forward for the next few months? How will this help me to show up as an authentic leader? How can I ensure I maintain them?
- What can I let go of? What has not served me well recently? What can I do instead of behaving that way? How can I stop myself from doing so?
You can also read: how to boost your confidence in a new leadership role
Create your own bespoke support group
Who have you got in your corner to support you through this time of stretch and challenge? What support do you need to keep you on track? Think about who would really help you to thrive now and what support do you envisage you will need in the future. Support can be in the form of a mentor, coach, peers, learning from other sources including podcasts, blogs, articles, networking, groups. Allow yourself time each week to utilise your support group and your knowledge and confidence will start to grow.
Celebrate your brilliant actions every day
Sometimes the small actions can go unnoticed, so try to note down at the end of each day what has gone brilliantly that day. Think about how you have built relationships, how you have managed your team, how you have worked on strategy creation and implementation, what impact you have made, what conversations you have had, how you have challenged yourself that day. Celebrating the small wins will build your confidence daily.
Devise your own development plan
Alongside support, explore what other development do you need? Create a long-term development plan to help you succeed in the role. Think outside of the box, whatever you need to succeed can be included. Be realistic with your goals and revisit them monthly to see how you are progressing and if any adjustments need to be made.
Starting a new senior leadership role will be a time of stretch and challenge and so allow yourself the space to settle in to your new position. By supporting yourself through the five areas above you will notice within a few weeks that you feel more confident and your imposter syndrome will be kept at bay.