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My client was going back home from an exhausting day at her firm. It was late and the train was empty. She stood at her reflection in the window and felt self-pity, low self-esteem, low mood.

Earlier in the day there was a closing of an important deal and the last-minute negotiations were pretty stressful with the counterparties and she felt she could have managed it better. The counterparty lawyer was so aggressive and confident my client felt the burden of comparison, certainly had she been more clever, more self-assured and a better lawyer the results would have been better for her firm and her client.

Even in a more ordinary day such feelings were pretty frequent for my client, who at times felt she had to work harder or longer compared to her peers, she at times procrastinated for the fear of not doing a perfect job, or she undersold herself in terms of fee, negotiation results or faced anxiety to lead an industry working group.

She was successful and well renowned in her field. A partner for more than 5 years now she was well recognised in her industry yet she believed she wasn’t as good as her reputation, maybe it was mainly due to luck.

A classic case of imposter syndrome.

So at this point if you recognise yourself in some of the symptoms would you want to address this situation in a positive way? I’m guessing you would.

I myself have suffered of some of the symptoms and I know not addressing them in a timely manner has costed me a slower career progression and more stress. I did work on it and I felt a renewed sense of self and the ability to face work in a more balanced and confident manner and so did my amazing client!

… And I'm going to reveal exactly how in a moment…. Before I reveal that to you, I just want to clarify is not hard to imagine why impostor syndrome is pretty prevalent in the legal profession yet not many lawyers talk about it. What is exactly imposter syndrome?

Imposter syndrome is the persistent doubt of your skills even when there is evidence to the contrary. It is a fear that you will be exposed as a fraud despite having demonstrated competence. It is not difficult to see the reasons why it affects many lawyers regardless of their seniority: deadlines, long hours, high standards, competition (external and internal) and a myth of perfection make it really easy for the most prepared and successful lawyer to fall in the trap of the “not good enough”.

The consequences for not addressing imposter syndrome can be serious and lead to burn out: procrastination also due to the myth of perfection can have an impact on time management and stress recovery as well as increasing anxiety.

All ingredients that can affect potential, performance and as mentioned ultimately mental health.

There are few things that can be done to address such an important hidden syndrome:

1- Acknowledge your achievements, write them down may help to recognise them as valid.

2- Accept positive feedback and compliment.

3- If you still struggling ask for help to a mentor, coach or therapist .

4- Reframe your thoughts: I will do my best do this, or I can’t do it YET but I can learn how.

5- Instead of competing, collaborating or get inspired by someone, remember they have their flaws, they are as human as you!

6- Assess your standard and whether you are always seeking perfection. Sometimes letting go, accepting that mistakes are inevitable and part of the growth process can be a game changer .

7- If you believe that your imposter syndrome is based on a feeling of not fitting in (perhaps due to life experience, ethnicity or social background), join a group aligned with your interests or where others with a similar background are hanging out.

As I have worked individually with few lawyers suffering with imposter syndrome I created a proper system that produced amazing results: the Reduce Impostor System And, this is why I took those 7 steps plus an additional 2 and created what I now call the “Reduce Imposter System” a system that allowed me as well as many lawyers, experiencing lack of confidence, perfection-mania, impossible standard and fear of being discovered as an “ imposter”, to get to a state of renewed confidence, self-assurance and acceptance of life and work ebbs and flows: a massive step towards a fulfilled career and life.

Knowing how to overcome imposter syndrome is critical to your success as a senior lawyer.

Now, remember, and think back to the initial story of my clients in the train… Well even only a few weeks in using the 9 steps – she was able to experience a new beginning for her career and the next closing produced a different outcome. If you're a lawyer or a professional looking for a breakthrough with an experienced professionally certified coach who has 20 years’ experience as a practising lawyer, and can help you with these types of challenges, Message me privately - or comment -with the words: "Reduce Imposter” And I will send you a guide detailing the full 9-steps from my “Reduce Imposter system” .

Speak soon, Annelise Pesa

Professional Certified Coach by ICF

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