Impostor Syndrome Explained (Free Assessment)
Understanding Impostor Syndrome: Elevating Your Confidence and Communication
Impostor Syndrome is a feeling of inadequacy that affects many professionals. Originally, the concept of impostor syndrome was thought to apply mostly to high-achieving women. Since then, it has been recognized as a more widely experienced phenomenon. Impostor syndrome can affect anyone—no matter their social status, work background, skill level, or degree of expertise. This chronic self-doubt often lingers despite evidence of your competence and accomplishments. Understanding Impostor Syndrome is the first step toward overcoming it. We created a 12-question assessment to help you discover if you are in one of the four states of Impostor Syndrome: Low likelihood of Impostor Syndrome, Mild Impostor Syndrome, Moderate Impostor Syndrome, High likelihood of experiencing Impostor Syndrome.
Here are signs you may be experiencing Impostor Syndrome:
1. Persistent Self-Doubt: Continuously questioning your abilities and fearing that you're not as competent as others perceive you to be.
2. Minimizing Achievements: Downplaying your accomplishments and attributing them to luck or external circumstances, rather than recognizing your own efforts and talents.
3. Overworking: Overcompensating for perceived inadequacies by taking on excessive workloads or overextending yourself, which can lead to burnout.
4. Setting Unattainable Standards: Establishing impossibly high standards for yourself and feeling disappointed or anxious when you fall short, even if your performance is objectively excellent.
5. Impulsive Perfectionism: This is a big one for the admin profession. Striving for perfection in every task and being unwilling to accept anything less, often resulting in undue stress and procrastination.
6. Fear of Failure: A paralyzing fear of making mistakes or failing, which can lead to avoidance behaviors and missed opportunities for growth. Consider taking our Chance Assessment to see if you are chance inclined or chance adverse.
7. Difficulty Accepting Praise: Struggling to accept compliments or positive feedback, believing that others are simply being kind or polite.
8. Comparing Yourself to Others: This is another big one for the admin family. You have the same title as others, so instantly comparison enters your thoughts. Constantly measuring your success against that of your peers and feeling inadequate if you perceive them as more accomplished.
9. Difficulty Saying No: By a raise of hands, who can feel this one? It’s a word that many admins just can’t use because of so many concerns. Overcommitting to tasks or projects because you're afraid of disappointing others or being seen as incapable.
10. Self-Sabotage: Engaging in behaviors, like negative self-talk, that undermine your own success, such as procrastination, self-criticism, or avoiding challenges.
11. Feeling Like a Fraud: Believing that you're deceiving others into thinking you're competent, even when you have evidence of your achievements.
12. Reluctance to Seek Help: Being hesitant to ask for help or guidance, as it may expose your perceived shortcomings.
Recognizing these characteristics in yourself is the first step toward addressing Impostor Syndrome and developing strategies to build confidence and self-assurance.
Conquering Impostor Syndrome
Understanding that you have the power to gracefully overcome Impostor Syndrome is the initial stride toward boosting your self-assurance. At Exceptional Admins, we consistently emphasize that bolstering your self-assuredness, as a means to ward off Impostor Syndrome, can be accomplished by acquiring valuable expertise in specific subjects, ensuring you're well-informed and never feeling out of your depth. Often, individuals refrain from actively participating in discussions due to their perceived lack of knowledge on a particular topic. In such instances, it's not you who's the 'impostor,' but rather the situation itself (impostor place) (read that again) – attempting to contribute when you are, in fact, lacking expertise can make the situation fall outside your area of understanding. Through the years, EA has heard countless times from executives, "Please don’t offer a candidate that says they have it when they actually don’t."
Here’s an example: (Note, Hilani’s shared repeatedly on her podcast, and during training sessions, that Excel makes her want to curl up in the fetal position in the corner.)
Hilani attends a Financial conference and grabs a seat to consume a session on Microsoft Excel. The individual beside her initiates a conversation, discussing their passion for Excel.
Hilani could:
a: share her love for the tool to not make the situation weird (this action would be her acting as an impostor).
b: openly admit Excel makes her nervous and that’s why she’s attending the session (this action would be her demonstrating her self-assuredness despite being potentially being embarrassed. The session and situation she’s in is an impostor place. The term "impostor place" is used to convey that she feels out of her depth or that she doesn't truly belong in the situation she's in.)
1. Embrace Self-Reflection:
Start by acknowledging your feelings of self-doubt. Reflect on your achievements and remind yourself of the skills and experiences that brought you to where you are today. Recognize that Impostor Syndrome is often a distortion of your actual capabilities or it’s the situation, not you.
2. Set Realistic Goals and Celebrate Achievements:
Break down your goals into smaller, achievable steps. We have in the library of EA podcast episodes, episode p.s. Software Update 11.1 to 11.2. We talk about breaking down goals into micro achievements. Celebrate your accomplishments along the way, no matter how minor they may seem. Recognizing your progress helps build confidence and reduces feelings of inadequacy.
Elevating Your Communication Skills
Improving communication is essential for projecting confidence and overcoming Impostor Syndrome. Here are some strategies to help you elevate your communication game:
1. Develop Mindful Listening Skills:
Effective communication starts with listening. Practice mindful listening by giving your full attention to others, asking clarifying questions, and showing empathy. This will help you build stronger relationships and enhance your ability to express yourself. Being exposed to conversations, even ones on podcasts, help you expand your library of knowledge, therefore enhancing your vocabulary (so you can contribute).
2. Assertive Communication:
First, let’s alter the word assertive to breath of command. Strive to communicate your thoughts, ideas, and needs with a breath of command. This means expressing yourself with confidence while respecting others' viewpoints. Avoid passive or aggressive communication styles that can hinder effective interaction. Here at EA, we recommend you always start building your breath of command over email. You have full control over how it reads, what you’re conveying, and you’re the one who hits send. Building your communication in written form first is always a great first step in evolving oneself.
3. Practice Public Speaking and Presentation Skills:
Public speaking and presenting can be daunting, but they're crucial skills in professional settings. Seek opportunities to practice these skills, whether through workshops, speaking engagements, or even within your team meetings. The more you practice, the more confident you'll become. We’ve hosted administrative professionals as guests on the EA Podcast for an opportunity at public speaking. Several would have been found in the corner, in the fetal position, rocking back and forth before ever speaking publicly. They did great and are proud they took a leap of faith.
Launch Pad:
To elevate the way you feel and communicate, here are six things you could consider to begin the journey towards self-assuredness:
1. Self-Reflection and Self-Compassion: Understand that nobody is perfect, and self-compassion is key. Begin by reflecting on your accomplishments and your worth. Be sure to give yourself grace, acknowledge your achievements, and give yourself credit for your abilities.
2. Structured Skill Building: Focus on developing specific skills that are relevant to your field or area of interests. Gaining abilities can boost your self-assurance and provide evidence of your capabilities.
3. Set Achievable Goals: While it's important to aim high, ensure your goals are realistic and attainable. Break them down into smaller, manageable steps to prevent feeling overwhelmed and increase your sense of accomplishment.
4. Build a Portfolio of Achievements: Keep a record of your achievements, both big and small. Create a portfolio that showcases your successes, skills, and experiences. Reviewing this portfolio can remind you of your capabilities.
5. Embrace Affirmations: Incorporate positive self-affirmations into your routine. Regularly remind yourself of your capabilities, worth, and you're a person in progress. These affirmations can gradually shift your self-perception.
6. Continued Learning: Invest in your personal and professional development. Enroll in courses, attend workshops, and read books that help you refine your skills and knowledge. Lifelong learning not only enhances your competence but also boosts your confidence.
Keep in mind that addressing any of these tendencies is a journey and it requires patience and dedication. By taking action and focusing on personal and professional growth (even for 20-minutes a week), you'll gradually diminish any negative impact, while cultivating a robust sense of self-assurance.
Remember, you are capable, deserving, and worthy of a rewarding life.
Be sure to check out this brief podcast episode.
Grow your self-assured side by working on your personal brand. The ea course Building Your Personal Brand Course offers you additional support when it comes to identifying your strengths, developing your unique admin work style, and engaging in fruitful conversations through storytelling.