Embrace your inner imposter

Impostor syndrome can be an invaluable signal—a nudge towards increased confidence, growth, and self-improvement.

First published in The Mandarin.

Have you ever felt like a fraud, thinking your success is a fluke or a ticking time bomb before you're discovered?

In the 1970s, Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes introduced the concept of impostor syndrome, which describes that uneasy feeling of not measuring up. It can lead to self-doubt about your skills and accomplishments, making you worry that you’ll be exposed as a fraud. It’s common to feel anxious, as if everyone around you knows more, leaving you with the impression that you can’t quite keep up.

What if your inner impostor isn’t scheming your professional and social downfall but is the source of your inner superpower?

Everyone’s an impostor.

Our workplaces and lives increasingly focus on maintaining appearances through competition, comparison, and evaluation. Ongoing findings from national surveys highlight workplace disengagement, burnout, and stress. More emotive descriptions of workplace environments as ‘toxic cultures’ or marked by ‘toxic positivity’ reflect a decline in the quality of work experiences and lower expectations for improvement.

In our workplace and public discussions, we often come across terms like burnout, quiet quitting, and toxic leadership. Many disengaged employees are on a quest for meaning and purpose but are frequently guided by managers who feel increasingly disconnected.

Maintaining a positive view of work in our lives is difficult. Recently, commentator and organisational psychologist Adam Grant expressed a mildly hopeful perspective about the significance and purpose of work. One response from a media commentator was: ‘The hint is in the word. If work was for pleasure, it wouldn’t be called work. It would be called fun, or socialising, or sex.’

Is it surprising that we feel inadequate?

You’re not alone in feeling like a fraud. About 7 out of every 10 people you meet today have similar feelings. But we have little to fret about if Albert Einstein, Tom Hanks, and Michelle Obama are worried they might be exposed as impostors.

• In 1955, Albert Einstein confided to Queen Elisabeth of Belgium that ‘the exaggerated esteem in which my lifework is held makes me very ill at ease. I feel compelled to think of myself as an involuntary swindler.’

• Tom Hanks reflecting on his feelings of self-doubt throughout his acting career: ‘No matter what we’ve done, there comes a point where you think, ‘How did I get here? When are they going to discover that I am, in fact, a fraud and take everything away from me?’

• In her memoir, Michelle Obama reflects on her struggles with self-doubt and impostor syndrome, despite her achievements: “It doesn’t go away, that feeling that you shouldn’t take me that seriously. What do I know?”

Your inner impostor is your friend

We respond with empathy to those who express concerns about their inner impostor. We encourage them to identify and acknowledge their inner critic, reassuring them that these feelings are quite common. We guide them in reframing their thoughts and sharing their experiences with others. Additionally, we may review their career achievements to emphasise the journey that led them to their current position, highlighting their successes and resilience. We often conclude by assisting them in setting realistic expectations and fostering self-compassion. These are good things designed to expel our inner daemon.

But what if an inner spirit is working tirelessly to undermine you? Instead, perhaps a friend guides and teaches you to become a better version of yourself.  

1.     Your inner impostor keeps you humble and self-aware.

The leadership debacles in banking, consulting and public service have reminded us of the dangers of hubris in leadership. Donald Trump and the hubris of the accompanying gaggle of tech bros should be ample if we needed more evidence. There is a fine line between hubris and confidence that your inner impostor patrols.

For some individuals, the mere concept of doubt is alien. For instance, a survey of financial leaders in New York revealed that they exhibited high scores in psychopathic traits while scoring lower than average in emotional intelligence. A meta-analysis published in 2018 found a modest yet significant correlation between higher trait psychopathy and attaining leadership roles, which is noteworthy given that psychopathy is also linked to poorer leadership outcomes.

Individuals who embrace their inner impostor are less likely to become complacent or excessively confident. Your impostor acts as a guard against hubris, and this humility can promote better collaboration, active listening, and openness to feedback.

2.     Your impostor is a voracious lifelong learner.

In government and business, critical skills shortages are increasing. A global employee survey conducted by the ADP Research Institute concluded what many employers already know—employees want more from their employers than they did four years ago. Investment in ongoing skills development is among the top three expectations of employees; for Gen Z, it is at the top. 

Your inner impostor can motivate you to learn and develop skills. Not knowing is a source of motivation to seek knowledge.

We are more inclined to follow the familiar paths of our expertise when we are knowledgeable or considered experts. Our confidence in our knowledge can blind us to opportunities and hinder innovation. Workplaces tend to value knowledgeable individuals and may react unfavourably to those who openly admit their ignorance. Saying ‘I don’t know’ is often deemed unacceptable; however, acknowledging ignorance and possessing the motivation and skills to identify and bridge knowledge gaps should equally be valued.

Individuals who have suppressed their inner impostor might not recognise the significance of acknowledging ignorance and the advantages of seeking new knowledge. For example, the toxic positivity that has become a feature of some workplaces does not leave space for learning—your inner impostor values mastery above ego.

3.     Your inner impostor grounds you.

In 1999, David Dunning and Justin Kruger proposed that the less competent people are, the more prone they are to be unaware of their incompetence. In contrast, those with a high level of knowledge or expertise in a given subject are more likely to recognise the extent of their limitations and, consequently, are more precise in their self-assessment.

The Dunning-Kruger effect often results in overconfidence and poor decision-making. This occurs because some individuals may not seek help or training, believing they possess all the required skills. Conversely, those who embrace their inner impostor tend to evaluate themselves more honestly. This self-awareness can motivate them to improve and grow more effectively.

It’s good to be a little uncomfortable

It's not a sign of weakness. Impostor syndrome can be an invaluable signal—a nudge towards increased confidence, growth, and self-improvement.

While it can be disconcerting, that uneasy feeling of inadequacy could be your superpower for personal and professional growth. So, rather than avoiding it, embracing your inner impostor might be one of the most empowering choices you'll ever make.