New leaders and influencers: Imposter syndrome

Of all the challenges we face as new leaders or new persons of influence in business, arguable the worst one is one of our own makings: imposter syndrome.

I am so guilty of this. In more than one facet of my life, even. I felt it back when I was writing and trying to get my novels out there. I felt it the first time I had the <gasp> audacity to post one of my paintings for sale. I feel it whenever I speak to a group of my coworkers, and I feel it when I work on developing new programs and protocols in my job.

Our inner saboteur is a crafty little beast. Insidious even. Which can leave a person wondering just how our brains can cut so precisely into the perfect thing that is guaranteed to make us doubt ourselves and/or our self-worth.

I heard someone say last night that the reason we are our own worst enemy is that our inner saboteur, that little voice that crafts the imposter syndrome so surgically, is exactly as smart as we are.

What a moment of revelation! I hadn’t previously considered this, but it’s exactly true! Like a sniper, our brain knows precisely which pain points to go after because it’s OUR BRAIN. It’s us! There is no magical, mythical little voice – independent of my brain – jumping in to put unwanted thoughts and fears in there – it’s just me!

When I first started in this new role, I decided to build myself a little village of contacts. Dynamic people working throughout my division in similar roles, who knows better than I do what I need to be successful. Not one of them has uttered any word in any way similar to the grumblings and accusations of that little imposter syndrome beast in my head because they see a person determined to work hard and do well.

Now I need that reminder that if they believe in me, it’s ok for me to believe in me too.

Imposter syndrome is inevitable in some way or another for most of us at least one time in our lives. Just look to your peers, look to your village, and finally, look in the mirror and remind yourself that the other voice, the one who has faith and tenacity and perseverance, has just as loud a voice and maybe should get the microphone a little more often.?