Overcoming Imposter Syndrome – Why Compassionate Leaders Fake It to Make It

Imposter syndrome describes feelings of severe inadequacy and self-doubt. These can leave you fearing that you will be exposed as a “fraud”, usually in your work life (but it can also affect your private life). It can affect anyone, regardless of their success.

Self-doubt is a fairly common phenomenon, especially in times of crisis like we’ve been dealing with this year. And yet, no matter how well you handle the challenges presented, and regardless of your accomplishments, degrees, and accolades, you may still struggle to achieve a balanced self-regard.

The good news is, you’re not alone in feeling like this. Such feelings are a common part of the human condition, though some of us have it to a higher degree than others. In fact, many successful people admit to it. And, even when you think you have it under control, it can reappear at times when you need it least, like in times of crisis and/or transition.

First described in 1978 by Dr. Pauline Clance and Dr. Suzanne Imes, feeling like you have to “fake” your way through certain situations leads to uncertainty and a diminished sense of self. In my latest video today, I’m going to teach you three steps on how to leave the impostor mindset behind for good. As a result, you’re going to develop true self-respect and more confidence in your role as a compassionate leader.

3 Strategies to Address Impostor Mindset

Step 1: Stop fighting the mindset!

In a nutshell, impostor syndrome consists of certain thinking and emotional patterns. The question is, does it consume you or are you working with it? Working with impostor syndrome means you’re able to acknowledge the mindset with kindness and curiosity while not giving it your full attention. This type of acknowledgement leads to inner peace and a meaningful life. On the flip side, the more you fight impostor syndrome, the stronger it becomes.

Step 2: Stop comparing yourself to others!

If you can do one thing for yourself today as a compassionate and heart-centered leader — just one — choose this: stop comparing yourself to others! It’s ridiculous. It’s unrewarding. It’s futile. Just stop it. The unhelpful comparison strategy has many facets. For one, you can compare yourself to an absurd image of perfection; the fantasy that you have created for yourself that’s simply unrealistic! It doesn’t end there. We continue to compare ourselves to others, admiring someone else’s achievements (real or not). Then we beat ourselves up for not being able to produce the same results. It’s time to let go of that mindset too.

If this is the case, you might be interested in watching my episode on Confidence Tips for Heart Centered Leaders.

Step 3: Create healthy relationships with your expertise.

Another impostor syndrome trap is “the expert” bar. The term expert goes back to the times when information wasn’t as accessible as it is today. Of course, being trained in a particular field and possessing certain knowledge remains important. However, it’s equally important to have emotional agility, mental flexibility, and general skills. These traits let you keep up with the fast-paced information flow and ever-changing environment working with multi-disciplinary teams bring. On the other hand, it’s the fear of “not knowing” something you think you “should” that pushes you into the “I have to be THE expert” mindset.

The ultimate trap for heart-centered leaders comes from the empathy and understanding you extend to others, while ignoring your own need for compassion and self-care. This can lead you to feel like a fraud, which is where imposter syndrome sets in. If you’re in a leadership position and know that you need to work on self-regard, I invite you to connect and book a free 1:1 Discovery call with me. Let’s dive into specifics and get to work right away.

Watch the video for more detail and insight and then, if you have more questions, feel free to contact me for answers.