Imposter syndrome at work – how to recognize and overcome it?

Imagine you are sitting at your desk, staring at your computer screen, and your heart is beating a little faster. You’ve just received praise from your boss for a well-done project, but instead of feeling proud, you feel a growing sense of anxiety. “It’s only a matter of time before everyone realizes that I don’t really know what I’m doing.” – such a thought is circling in your head, even though objectively looking at it, your work is excellent.

Do you happen to think that your professional successes are just a matter of luck? Maybe you fear that one day someone will discover that you don’t really deserve your position? If so, it’s possible that you are experiencing imposter syndrome – a phenomenon that, according to a University of Georgia study, affects up to 70% of people at some point in their careers.

What is imposter syndrome?

Impostorsyndrome is a psychological condition in which a person, despite objective evidence of his competence and achievements, does not believe in his own abilities and success. It is a deep, tenacious inner belief that one is not good enough, and that all achievements are merely the result of a lucky coincidence or manipulation of the environment. It’s like having an inner critic who constantly whispers in your ear: “You don’t deserve it,” even when all external facts point to the contrary.

Characteristic symptoms of imposter syndrome

• Constant doubts about one’s own competence and skills – it’s like looking at one’s achievements through a distorting glass that only shows shortcomings and imperfections
• Attributing successes to external factors such as luck, coincidence or help from others – “I was just lucky to get an understanding boss”
• Fear of being exposed as an incompetent, insufficiently intelligent person – a paralyzing fear that at some point someone will discover the “truth” about your abilities
• Difficulty accepting positive feedback – belittling praise and a complete inability to believe its sincerity
• Over-preparing for tasks and meetings to hide supposed shortcomings – spending countless hours on a project that others would have done in much less time

According to Dr. Pauline Rose Clance, a psychologist who, along with Dr. Suzanne Imes, introduced the term“imposter syndrome” in 1978 in a landmark article published in Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice: “Despite outward evidence of success, people experiencing this phenomenon remain convinced that they are in fact cheating others and do not deserve their achievements.” This definition, despite the passage of years, still accurately captures the essence of this extremely common phenomenon, which, like a silent thief, steals the joy of professional success from millions of people around the world.

Imposter syndrome – the causes

Psychological factors

The main causes of imposter syndrome are often deeply rooted in our beliefs and patterns that shape our professional self-esteem:

• Perfectionism – setting unrealistically high expectations for ourselves that can never be fully met. Perfectionism makes every achievement seem inadequate.
• Excessive self-criticism – chronic focus on mistakes and shortcomings instead of successes. This leads to a distorted view of one’s abilities and frequent self-doubt.
• Low self-esteem – a deep, often unconscious belief in one’s own inadequacy and insufficiency that undermines the importance of any professional success.

The impact of the work environment

Certain aspects of today’s work environment can significantly exacerbate imposter syndrome:

• A work culture that promotes competition – constant comparison with co-workers. In such an environment, it is easy to get the impression that everyone around you is achieving more and with less effort.
• Achievement pressure – pervasive expectations for continuous development and spectacular results. Constant pressure to exceed the bar can reinforce feelings of inadequacy.
• Social media – highlighting only the successes of others, which significantly distorts reality. Professional platforms like LinkedIn become galleries of accomplishments, rarely showing the effort or failures behind them.
• Lack of constructive feedback – uncertainty about the quality of one’s work, which introduces chronic doubts about one’s own competence.

How does imposter syndrome affect professional life?

The consequences of experiencing imposter syndrome can be severe and far-reaching, affecting all aspects of professional life:

Negative effects at work

• Professional burnout – constant, exhausting attempts to prove oneself lead to emotional overload and physical exhaustion. Research published in the International Journal of Behavioral Science shows a strong correlation between imposter syndrome and job burnout. Check it out: Test for occupational burnout
• Sabotaging one’s career – consciously or subconsciously avoiding promotions, challenging new assignments or public speaking for fear of failure and being “exposed.” Dr. Valerie Young’s research shows that people with imposter syndrome often choose safe career paths far below their actual capabilities.
• Over-preparation – spending a disproportionate amount of time preparing at the expense of efficiency. This perfectionism in performance causes chronic time management problems.
• Reduced job satisfaction – a chronic difficulty in appreciating one’s own achievements, which means that even significant successes do not bring satisfaction and a sense of fulfillment.

Imposter syndrome in remote work

Remote work, which has become common in many industries, can exacerbate the symptoms of imposter syndrome for several important reasons:

• Limited visibility of work – when we work from home, our efforts are less visible to others. A Stanford University study found that remote workers often feel their work is not fully appreciated, which can reinforce self-doubt.
• Lack of direct feedback – Online communication lacks many of the non-verbal cues that in the office help interpret others’ reactions. A laconic response from a supervisor can be over-interpreted as displeasure.
• More intense comparison with others – during video conferencing it is easier to focus on how wecompare with colleagues. According to research by Dr. Marianna Fotaki of Warwick Business School, 76% of remote workers are more likely to compare themselves with others than in an office environment.
• Work-life imbalance – blurring the boundaries between work and home can lead to working hard after hours as a way to prove your commitment and value to the team.

To counter these challenges, it’s a good idea to schedule regular one-on-one meetings with your supervisor, keep a log of your professional accomplishments and establish clear boundaries between work and rest time.

Typical behaviors of people with imposter syndrome

• Anna, a programmer with 5 years of experience, spends every evening until late at night attending additional courses and training, firmly convinced that her knowledge is woefully inadequate, despite receiving regular, enthusiastic praise from her superiors. Her room is filled with technical books and her computer is swamped with unfinished training projects – all in a desperate attempt to make up for imaginary shortcomings.
• Marek, a middle manager in a corporation, attributes his recent promotion solely to “being in the right place at the right time” or “an error in judgment by his superiors,” completely ignoring his excellent leadership skills and years of hard, productive work. During team meetings, he often feels a piercing fear that his team will eventually “see through it.”
• Catherine, a doctor with 10 years of experience, despite her excellent reputation among patients, is constantly checking and doubling down on her diagnoses, consulting with her professional colleagues, nervously searching the medical literature, fearing that she will make a mistake that will “reveal her sense of incompetence” and confirm what her inner critic has been saying for years – that she should never have become a doctor.

How to deal with imposter syndrome?

Overcoming imposter syndrome requires systematic work on one’s thinking and habits. Here are effective strategies confirmed both in scientific research and in psychotherapeutic practice:

Practical tips

1. Document your achievements – keep a journal of your successes, even seemingly small ones, to accumulate objective evidence of your competence. This simple procedure, recommended by Dr. Jessica Collett of the University of Notre Dame, counters selective memory, which often stores mostly memories of failures.
2. Change your perspective toward failures – learn to view failures as a natural part of learning and professional development, not as evidence of a lack of competence. Thomas Edison aptly put it when he said: “I did not fail. I simply discovered 10,000 ways that don’t work.”
3. Practice conscious acceptance of praise – instead of belittling compliments or explaining why they are undeserved, learn to accept them by simply saying “thank you.” This may be difficult at first, but over time it will become a natural habit.
4. Set realistic goals – replace perfectionism with striving to do a task “well enough.” Research by Dr. Amy Cuddy of Harvard Business School shows that focusing on progress instead of perfection leads to greater productivity and job satisfaction.
5. Talk openly about your concerns – sharing your feelings with trusted people helps you understand that you are not an exception, and your experiences are much more common than you might think.

The role of professional psychological support

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) – a therapeutic method recognized by the American Psychological Association that effectively helps identify and transform maladaptive thinking patterns. Research published in the Journal of Behavioral Research and Therapy indicates that CBT can reduce symptoms of imposter syndrome by 73% over 12 weeks of therapy.
• Career coaching – personalized support in identifying strengths and building authentic, evidence-based self-confidence. A good coach can identify objective evidence of competence that often eludes the person experiencing imposter syndrome. Explore our offerings and learn more: online coaching
• Support groups – regular sharing of experiences with people in a similar situation shows that even established professionals struggle with similar doubts. Research by Dr. Kevin Corcoran of the University of Pennsylvania has shown that participation in support groups significantly reduces feelings of isolation.
• Mindfulness techniques – scientifically proven methods for reducing chronic stress and learning to focus on the present instead of troubling thoughts. Regular mindfulness practice helps identify negative beliefs without automatically accepting them as true.

How can employers support employees in the workplace?

Organizations play a key role in preventing and mitigating imposter syndrome among employees. Research by the McKinsey Institute shows that companies that support employees’ psychological well-being record 21% higher productivity and 65% lower turnover:

Creating a supportive work environment

• A specific culture of appreciation – regular, detailed recognition of employees’ achievements that goes beyond vague praise and indicates exactly what was valuable about their work. Precise feedback helps build a realistic picture of one’s competence.
• Open communication – creating a psychologically safe space where employees can honestly express their concerns and doubts without fear of evaluation. Research by Dr. Amy Edmondson of Harvard Business School shows that psychological safety is the foundation for innovation and engagement.
• Individualized mentoring – programs that help employees recognize their strengths and build confidence based on real skills. Regular sessions with an experienced mentor can significantly reduce feelings of inadequacy.
• Training for managers – professionally preparing managers to recognize the signals of imposter syndrome and equipping them with the tools to properly support the team.

An example from practice: a large company, based on internal research, conducts “Overcome Your Inner Imposter” (Overcoming Impostor Syndrome) workshops for employees at all levels of the organization. More than 2,000 people have completed the program, and its effectiveness is confirmed by 87% of participants, who report a significant improvement in their self-confidence at work.

Summary

Imposter Syndrome, affects individuals in every position. It is a common, though often overlooked, phenomenon that can significantly affect our professional and personal lives. It is crucial to understand that these intense feelings do not reflect objective reality, but are the result of distorted beliefs about one’s own competence.

Research by psychologist Dr. Valerie Young shows that even the most established professionals and leaders in their fields – from Nobel Prize winners to successful entrepreneurs – are experiencing or have experienced imposter syndrome. Maya Angelou, an author honored with the Medal of Freedom, once confessed, “I have the feeling that at any moment someone will come along and say: ‘Sorry, there has been a mistake. You should go back to Louisville.'”

By consciously working on one’s beliefs, using professional support and gradually building a realistic picture of one’s competence, one can successfully overcome imposter syndrome and regain job satisfaction.

The first step toward change

Recognizing imposter syndrome is the first and most important step. Consider whether the symptoms presented apply to you. If so, remember – you are not alone, and these feelings can be overcome. Start with small steps: write down three of your accomplishments from the past month and think about the skills and effort behind them.

Bibliography

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