Coined in the late 1970s by Dr. Pauline Chance to describe the feelings of inadequacy and fear everyone can feel in comparison to others we perceive to be more experienced or accomplished, Imposter Phenomenon (IP) is gaining considerable traction in both popular and academic writings. IP is not a diagnosis but a collection of thoughts and feelings that produce symptoms of anxiety and oftentimes depression. IP reflects an internal belief that we are inadequate and incompetent despite evidence that indicates the opposite.
Even though IP is not a diagnosis, the symptoms are similar to anxiety with a dash of depression. As anxiety is on the rise, the “compare and despair” feelings associated with IP, also creep up. IP first focused on women who were entering typically male dominated employment, but current research reveals a broader group of us who may struggle with IP.
Today, all genders as well as the BIPOC community are managing imposter feelings. A 2019 systematic review of IP published in the Journal of Internal Medicine found evidence that ethnic minority populations, people who are not considered young or junior, and men all experience impostor feelings. The literature also identifies individuals in their first job, people taking on new projects, first generation professionals, and children of highly successful parents are all at risk of these feelings. Marginalized groups in society experience IP feelings as they navigate fear of confirming negative stereotypes about their racial, ethnic, gender, or cultural group. Current writings have approached the phenomenon as an individual issue and therefore to be solved personally rather than looking at how particular environments elicit imposter feelings.
Awareness of this phenomenon is central to creating positive work environments for everyone. IP can lead to burnout at work, lack of engagement, and feelings of discontent.
In keeping with the individualistic theme, one commonality across these classifications is perfectionism. Needing or wanting to do one’s best, versus the perception of having to be the best, mixed with thinking “I am about to be discovered as a failure,” creates individual turmoil.
The appearance of never making a mistake has knitted itself into our campus cultural expectation. Social media and its extreme versions of ourselves can contribute to a personal intolerance of simply being human. We are not robots or perfect; we are flawed individuals comprised of a wonderful collection of interesting differences.
And as Alexander Pope said, “To err is human.” And as Dyson, maker of innovative vacuum cleaners, has said, “I have made 5,000 mistakes” along the way.
Perfectionism can lead to inertia and procrastination at work because beginning with the end in mind and believing that the end will never be right stops some of us in our tracks. Perfectionism tends to be accompanied by overpreparation, and with the overpreparation and resulting success, the belief is reinforced that “I have to work harder than others” or that “others soon will know that I really don’t know what I am doing.” People who are perfectionistic have higher stress, higher anxiety, and feel burned out more often than their peers.
Anytime we face a new challenge or are out of our comfort zone, IP thoughts can emerge. The health crisis in which we live has impacted us all in some way and has forced almost all of us out of our comfort zones.
As we have adjusted to new roles in the past 18 months, people are identifying feelings of vulnerability, inadequacy, or angst. If you are curious about IP, take the Clance Imposter Phenomenon Test.
If you notice a friend, colleague, or family member worried or wracked with self-recrimination, reach out, check in with them, and listen. To manage the feelings of anxiety or depression that IP creates, here are some steps to practice.
What to do:
- Speak up and try not to suffer in silence. People tend to keep these thoughts to themselves, which only increases feelings of isolation.
- Enjoy success. Don’t be a compliment blocker but embrace feeling proud. Sit with and savor the good feeling of mastering a new skill or meeting a goal, big or small.
- Realize perfectionism in your outlook. The thought “I have to be perfect” or “never make mistakes” creates perpetual dissatisfaction.
- Embrace being new at something. Focus on what is being learned rather that what is being performed. Believe that new ideas are welcomed and encouraged.
- Change your thinking. Aaron Beck’s identification of "unhelping thinking” and his creation of cognitive behavioral therapy is the most used, evidenced based treatment for anxiety and depression. The distorted thought of minimizing our own abilities is addressed here.