Your client is struggling with imposter syndrome. How can you guide them to achieve their career goals?

Here are the symptoms of imposter syndrome: 1. Self-doubt. 2. Attributing success to luck. 3. Fear of being exposed. 4. Overachieving. 5. Perfectionism. 6. Difficulty accepting praise. 7. Comparing yourself to others. 8. Sacrificing your own needs. To have a 'brag-file' with all your accomplishments is a good way to combat this. Write down every milestone and every positive feedback you received from colleagues. Read it when you feel overwhelmed. This will make you understand that you are working hard and are receiving positive feedback from others.

A client might downplay a recent accomplishment by saying, "Anyone could have done that; I just got lucky." Recognize this as a potential sign of imposter syndrome and gently probe deeper to understand their thought process. Be aware of the signs of imposter syndrome, such as feelings of inadequacy, fear of being exposed as a fraud, and attributing success to luck rather than skill. Encourage open communication with your client. Listen actively when they express self-doubt and explore the root causes of these feelings.

Start by recognising the signs: persistent self-doubt, attributing success to luck, and fearing exposure as a fraud. Guide them to break the cycle by acknowledging these thoughts and reframing. Encourage documenting achievements to counteract negative beliefs - focus on the brag list whenever the Imposter shows up. By setting realistic, incremental career goals and celebrating each milestone can help overcome. Promote seeking support from trusted colleagues and mentors for objective feedback and encouragement. By focusing on recognising signs, breaking negative thought patterns, setting achievable goals, and seeking support, you can empower them to overcome imposter syndrome and achieve their career goals.

To break away from negative thinking, I try to help clients do two things: 1/ Disrupt the cycle 2/ Re-frame the self-talk Disrupting the cycle comes by shifting the point of attention. Often negative thinking focuses on one negative emotion. Disruption requires shifting attention to a more positive emotion. Use questions like: - What is one thing you are proud of? - What is one thing you have confidence in? Re-frame the self-talk is about empowering the client to continue the positive self-talk. Anchoring them to more positive emotions, beliefs, and mindsets. Use questions like: - What is one thing you can always rely on yourself for? - What belief about yourself can you always return to? - What mantra do you believe about yourself?

Your client wants to become a project manager but feels overwhelmed by the perceived requirements. Help them set smaller goals like taking online project management courses or attending industry workshops. These milestones will equip them with the skills and confidence to pursue their larger career objective. Help your client break down their career aspirations into smaller, achievable milestones. Celebrating these smaller wins builds confidence and momentum. Encourage your client to focus on progress and learning from mistakes. Remind them that everyone makes mistakes, and it's how we learn and adapt that matters most.

When your client delivers a well-received presentation, celebrate their success! Point out the specific aspects of their presentation that resonated with the audience and highlight the skills and knowledge they demonstrated. Don't let your client's successes go unnoticed. Celebrate their achievements, no matter how big or small. This reinforces their capabilities and Help your client reframe their self-talk. Instead of downplaying successes, encourage them to acknowledge their hard work and skills.

In my experience community is one of the best ways to combat imposter syndrome. Especially if you are able and willing to contribute to a professional community, your work will be more appreciated there likely more than your day job. I've also found that running regular hangouts with your network professionals are a great way to come together about common issues. It is in these commonalities that you may find an easier way through these insecurities.

I've been so busy with mentoring others as a season professional that I almost forgot that attending courses as a student is also a valuable experience. Revisiting foundational courses are especially useful in helping to prove to yourself that you excel in that particular area and often I come away with revised information that I will be able to execute immediately. ??? Don't forget to talk about the increased value that you bring to your employer's and teammates!