Workplace imposter syndrome is characterised by chronic self-doubt and invasive feelings of inadequacy. This can leave someone feeling that their success is undeserved and that they are a ‘fraud,’ about to be found out at any moment. Over time, this mindset can have a hugely negative impact on personal wellbeing and career progression.

If this sounds like you, then you are not alone. According to research conducted by training provider Executive Development Network, 50% of adults in the UK have experienced imposter syndrome at work.

Tej Patel, Consulting Manager in Eton Bridge Partners’ Business Consulting Practice, takes a closer look at this phenomenon. What are its characteristics, how can you cope with it and how do race, gender and neurodiversity impact? And, digging deeper than the usual imposter syndrome material that’s out there, we question if it’s helpful to encourage people to ‘fix’ themselves, or whether we should be asking why their environments cause them to feel this way in the first place?

What does imposter syndrome look like?

Imposter syndrome is experienced differently by different people, but there are some commonly accepted hallmarks:

• Lack of self-confidence at work
• Fear of making even small mistakes
• Unrelenting perfectionism
• Negative feelings persisting despite accomplishments
• Setting unrealistic expectations for yourself
• Burnout from overworking
• Isolating from colleagues
• Letting other people take the credit for your achievements
• Struggling to accept praise
• Anxiety over how others see you and perceive your input
• Highly self-critical and focusing on negatives

The five types of workplace imposter syndrome

According to Dr Valerie Young, an internationally-recognised expert on imposter syndrome, there are five types, each of which has a particular focus. In reality, people are unlikely to fit into one ‘box’ and are much more likely to straddle all or several of these different types.

The Perfectionist focuses on the ‘how’ when it comes to getting things done – how you conduct the work and how good the end result is. A minor mistake in an otherwise brilliant presentation will be what you zero in on, leading to feelings of disappointment and low self-worth.

The Expert is the knowledge version of the Perfectionist. Here, the primary focus is on ‘what’ and ‘how much’ you know or can do. Because you put pressure on yourself to know everything, even a minor lack of knowledge triggers feelings of fraudulence and shame.

The Superhuman focuses on ‘how many’ different plates you can spin, all excellently of course. Slipping up in any of your multitude roles – be it team leader, parent, friend or volunteer – can cause you to feel like a failure.

The Natural Genius worries about ‘how’ but also ‘when’ things are achieved. You want to be able to do things quickly and easily, so feel embarrassed if you struggle or don’t succeed at the first attempt.

The Soloist cares about the ‘who’ gets things done and sees asking for help as a sign of failure. You may also worry that requesting help could lead to people realising that you were ‘faking-it’ all along.

Not just women: perspectives on gender, race and neurodiversity

The Executive Development Network research found that imposter syndrome was more common in women with 54% feeling they have experienced imposter syndrome versus 38% of men. But that still means a high proportion of men are affected, and men may be less likely to admit imposter feelings, so this could be an underestimate.

There is evidence that less well represented groups are more likely to suffer with imposter syndrome. For example, almost 60% of those who identify as non-binary doubt their abilities in the workplace. Similarly, individuals from ethnic minorities can be more likely to fall victim to the phenomenon as barriers such as limited representation in leadership, challenges in fitting into workplace culture, and experiences of outright discrimination take their toll. Issues that were discussed by Eton Bridge Associate Partner Louis Henry in his blog following the Black Women in HR Conference.

Neurodiversity can also amplify feelings of imposter syndrome as ADHD, ASD and dyslexia or dyscalculia impact on the way our brain receives and processes information and how we communicate with others. This ‘different wiring’ can make people feel as if they are not as capable, when in fact they are extremely competent given the time or adjustments they need. Neurodivergent people have to find ways to operate in situations that are not structured for the way in which their brains work; this can lead to ‘masking’ of their difference which can magnify feelings of being a fraud or imposter. Our vidcast ‘An introduction to Neurodiversity’ with FTSE Chair and founder of the Institute of Neurodiversity, Charlotte Valeur, goes into more detail.

It is well known that a diverse and inclusive workforce brings diversity of thought and leadership, which in turn opens up a wider range of perspectives, better-informed decision-making and increased innovation. Studies on neurodiversity and outperformance are still in their infancy, but the Harvard Business Review reports preliminary evidence that neurodiverse teams can be more productive than neurotypical ones.

Five top tips to cope with workplace imposter syndrome

If you identify with the characteristics and types of imposter syndrome, these actions may help:

• Focus on the facts, not the feelings. Make a list of your achievements so far as well as your skills, capabilities and positive personal qualities. Could it be that those, rather than luck, are behind your achievements?
• Talk to someone you trust. Sharing feelings of self-doubt can reduce your sense of isolation and provide an opportunity for others to point out your true level of competency – something that you yourself may be blind to. This can be particularly powerful after an imposter syndrome ‘event’ such as a presentation where you felt you haven’t come across well; receiving reassurance that your fears are misplaced can immediately neutralise negative thoughts.
• Find a mentor. A mentor is somebody who will see you objectively, and will likely believe in you and your potential, otherwise they would not have agreed to mentor you! Their positive input around your achievements and capabilities will help reshape the way you perceive yourself.
• Reframe your thoughts. Perhaps you feel as if you don’t know everything that you should and you’re ‘winging it.’ But instead of viewing this as something negative, switch it to ‘thinking on your feet,’ which is a great skill to have in itself. Imposter syndrome is an adult phenomenon that children typically don’t experience. Adopting a ‘child-like’ approach where you can embrace having a go without focusing on what others will think may be helpful and could actually be the key to moving forward with confidence.
• Celebrate your achievements. When things go well, acknowledge the hard work (rather than thinking it’s just luck) that went into getting a good result and share the accomplishment with supportive people around you.

Imposter syndrome can often trigger a ‘fight or flight’ response as the fear of being exposed can activate the body’s stress response. In this moment, focus on your breathing and give yourself time and space for it to pass. Once you feel better, use the strategies above and also try to identify what the trigger may have been, so that you can limit or avoid it in future.

Is it really you that needs to be fixed?

Most articles on imposter syndrome focus on how people can help overcome the feelings through changing the way they behave. But there is an argument that this simply piles on more pressure and blame on the individual, rather than addressing the external environment, which is the root cause of the problem.

If we look at it this way, imposter syndrome is the feeling that comes when someone is made to feel that they don’t fit in or aren’t good enough. Then the onus is on businesses, society and institutions to change, rather than the individual. For a well-argued and passionate take on this, you might want to watch American lawyer and ‘Girls Who Code’ founder, Reshma Saujani’s Smith’s College speech Imposter Syndrome is Modern-Day Bicycle Face – YouTube.

We hope that you have found this article helpful and informative, please do get in touch to continue the conversation.

Tej works within the Consulting Practice at Eton Bridge Partners, working directly with clients and businesses to understand and solve their problems across structure, culture and processes. Please do get in touch to continue the conversation.

Useful links and further reading:
If you are interested in learning more about imposter syndrome and strategies that can help, please find below a list of links for further reading.

• How Neurodivergent People Can Deal With Imposter Syndrome
• You’re Not an Imposter. You’re Actually Pretty Amazing.
• The Connection Between ADHD and Imposter Syndrome
• How to Calm Down Fight or Flight Response: 6 Tips – Neurodivergent Insights