How can you coach individuals with imposter syndrome to achieve their career goals?

Impostor syndrome has several contributing factors. One factor is personal perfectionism. When a person doesn't meet their internal bar for perfection they could assume they don't belong at their current job level or company. To move forward, confirm with the client whether they feel they are over-emphasizing perfection in their work and confirm whether they feel perfectionism is contributing to their impostor syndrome. Next, work with the client to minimize and address it. Help the client consider ways to prioritize imperfections they are willing to accept on work projects. Help the client become comfortable accepting some imperfections. Also, encourage the client to periodically look for and feel proud of their personal achievements.

Replace negative thoughts with the truth – your strengths. I can attest to this from personal experience. Taking the Gallup Strengths assessment in 2015 was a revelation for me. It unveiled a wealth of qualities I could bring to the table. Discovering that my top strength was empathy helped me to see that my sensitivity allowed me to connect deeply with others. It also debunked the notion that it was a weakness and that I needed to develop a tough skin.

Imposter syndrome is so common, especially at a career crossroads. I'm a believer in helping others see what they can't see. That's always been the basis of my practice and is especially true when a person is trying to identify the next move in their career path. They may think they're stuck in one position when the truth is that everything they have done to that moment is an applicable skill for the next move. I like hearing a person's story and also seeing their resume to gain a perspective of their experience. When I hear "I would like to, but..." or "I never did...so I can't..." I like to be able to show the person how their past experience applies directly to what they're talking about. It brings clarity and confidence.

Imposter syndrome often comes with intellectual self-doubt and the persistent fear of being outed as a “dud” despite evidence of success and competence. To begin, we can commiserate with our clients by acknowledging that it is fairly common amongst many high achievers that “great is never good enough”; seeking to “normalise” their sense of inadequacies that these thoughts aren’t objective but rather perceptions that can be addressed i.e. identifying their triggers contributing to their beliefs e.g. being in a highly competitive, performance-based working environment or industry constantly comparing themselves amongst peers and associates etc.

1 Identify and challenge negative thoughts One of the first steps to coach individuals with imposter syndrome is to help them identify and challenge their negative thoughts and beliefs. These are the cognitive distortions that make them doubt their abilities, compare themselves to others, or attribute their achievements to luck, timing, or external factors. You can use techniques such as cognitive behavioral coaching, journaling, or reframing to help your clients examine their thoughts and replace them with more realistic and positive ones. For example, you can ask them to write down their negative thoughts and then counter them with facts, evidence, or alternative perspectives

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I am a big believer in the value of evidence. Many of us listen to an (at times inaccurate and unhelpful) internal monologue - such as one consistent with imposter syndrome. There is nothing like keeping a record of your achievements, and surrounding yourself with those who value those achievements, to correct the internal monologue.

In my experience women in particular may be educated out of owning their successes. Phrases like 'don't get too big for your boots' or 'no-one like a show off' or even 'little girls should be seen and not heard' were commonly drilled into women of my generations. The current tendency towards tall poppy syndrome, where successful individuals are actively criticised by others, and even the trolling of successful people don't help. When we encourage people to stand in their own power, and teach them that success is not a dirty word, then we enable them to embrace their own successes.

I've found that clients with imposter syndrome often only recognize feedback when it's explicitly labelled as such. To counter this, I advocate for the use of a 'Reflection Folder'—an approachable version of a 'brag' folder. Clients are encouraged to record real-time feedback, regardless of its source, with its exact wording. Furthermore, I prompt them to compare how they give feedback to others with how they receive it. This not only helps in identifying patterns in their perception & communication but also in valuing feedback in all its forms. By learning to recognize & appreciate feedback from diverse sources—whether formally presented or casually mentioned—clients can better challenge their negative self-perceptions

I agree with this point. It is very important to form a habit of documenting achievements and reflecting on it. It helps people understand and recognize what they have accomplished. It also helps to reflect on positive feedback received from clients and stakeholders as this feedback helps to build the confidence of someone that has the imposter syndrome.

Support in the form of having a mentor can really be valuable. Other than the coaching session, some mentor to be with the person regularly will turn out to be great support.

This is really important to seek help. Many a times we burn ourselves and don’t ask for help thinking it will be considered as inability to complete the job which is not true. Everyone needs help!!

Agreed with creating a support group. Being social animals we always look for external validation to be sure that we can achieve goals. Even experts need to exchange ideas and experiences to check on validity and accountability.

3 strategies that I have noticed clients find it useful to address imposter syndrome - Reframing their thoughts - What makes me adequate for this job or role? What data supports this achievement? Practising self compassion - How can I give a pat on my back for this milestone? What helps me to stay realistic in this situation? Creating a support system - Who can be a buddy/ sounding board for me? How can I increase my outreach to understand diverse perspectives? With effort, support and evidence, it becomes relatively better to deal with imposter syndrome.

Some people don't respond well to SMART, finding it too rigid and formulaic. In my experience it helps enormously if goals and intentions are aligned with personal purpose, especially if the underlying challenge is imposter syndrome. This gives motivation and impetus in a way that SMART goals may not. And for those who do respond well to SMART goals - great! Encourage them.

We can motivate, support and encourage our clients to cope with their notion of imposter syndrome by identifying or reinforcing their strengths, values and aspirations about what drives them because positive reinforcement helps to generate positivity and optimism during the conversation. Secondly, move the conversation towards developing a growth mindset celebrating their milestones and achievements; even small “wins” as these may help them re-define some of their gaps or perceived failings and, to see failures as partial successes viewing them as learning opportunities which is empowering.

Asking clients to compare their current situation to where they were 10 years ago helps them realize how far they've come. This is a great way to practice self-compassion & gratitude.

Firstly, help them create a positive narrative about themselves by reframing “great is never good enough” to “I may not necessarily be the best but, I’m definitely worth every weight in gold with my milestones and achievements”. Then, teach them to overcome self-doubt by being kind to themselves. Seeing themselves in positive light with self-gratitude and compassion goes a long way towards developing their self-confidence emphasising their journeys, successes and skills acquired as they review and look back.

Imposter syndrome happens when we doubt our capabilities and downplay our achievements. It happens either because we are listening to the negative chatter in our heads, or when we start believing what others are saying about us. Coaches have a very important role to play when working with individuals like these. If you are a coach who uses a strengths-based approach, your role is to help these individuals reinforce a positive self-image, reminding them that they are capable, competent, and worthy. You can guide them on a transformative journey toward achieving their career goals by creating a supportive environment that values growth and resilience, and silences the imposter syndrome narrative.

Coaching individuals with impostor syndrome requires a supportive and empowering approach. Start by acknowledging their achievements and helping them recognize their own capabilities. Encourage open discussions about self-doubt and provide constructive feedback. Foster a growth mindset, emphasizing that learning is a continuous journey. Set realistic goals, celebrating small victories along the way. Cultivate a mentorship network to provide additional guidance and perspective. By building confidence and a positive self-image, individuals with impostor syndrome can realize their full potential and achieve their career goals.

When we find ourselves stuck in the cycle of self-imposter syndrome, it is actually our inner self trying to reinforce the situation. As a coach, it is important to help individuals interrupt and reveal these internal stories. Rather than believing them to be true, 1) Encourage them to see these stories for what they are. It helps them to create a distance between themselves and these stories. 2) Encourage them to explore and be curious about their inner gifts, strengths, and talents. It helps them to develop self-knowledge and awareness. 3) Once they are able to gather that conscious awareness, use that to challenge their limiting beliefs and learn to reframe them.

So here's the thing - imposter syndrome is NORMAL! Of course you'll feel like one when you're starting something new. Now it can become a problem, and when it begins to hold you back then we have to address it head on. I do that in 3 ways: 1. Work on your self-concept 2. Work on the feeling of belonging 3. Work on your self-worth.

Love all the suggestions! I work a lot with the subconscious mind when it comes to fears as that's where most of these crippling thoughts are generated. I use embodiment to get you out of your head and drop into your body, identify where these fears reside, what's the message they have, why do they feel the way they feel and then find other parts of you that are more resourceful, your higher self that tells you what your inner child needs to hear. It's a beautiful process of tapping into the pain and trauma stored in your body and then rewriting your narrative rooted in your most authentic self, anchored in the wisdom of lived experience. I also work with energy centres/chakras to rewire limiting beliefs to empowering beliefs. Fascinating!