By Dr. Joe Isbister

Imposter Syndrome is the persistent feeling that you’re not as capable as others perceive you to be, despite clear evidence of your success. It can be the voice inside your head says, “I’m just winging it”, or it might show up as a gnawing sense that everyone else has the manual and you’re just flipping pages, hoping no one notices. You might be surrounded by success, even praised for it, but inside, it feels unearned. A lucky break. You are wearing a well-constructed mask, but behind it, you are constantly scanning for when you will be found out.

Does that sound familiar? As coaches, we often meet clients who, on the surface, appear to have it all under control. They’re competent, driven, and often praised by their colleagues. And yet, beneath that exterior lies a private narrative that tells a different story.

In a coaching space, Imposter Syndrome is not usually the first thing clients say when they walk into a coaching session. Imposter Syndrome seeps into the conversation: the hesitation around a new leadership role, the reluctance to take credit and the unspoken fear of being found out. It’s rarely loud, but it can run deep.

Here we will explore the surprisingly common phenomenon known as Imposter Syndrome, looking into its origins, what it is, what it tells us about ourselves and what we should do about it.

Imposter Syndrome has been recognized in academic circles since the late 1970s. The term was first coined by the psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes in 1978. Their research initially focused on high-achieving college graduate women who, despite their clear success, experienced persistent feelings of fraudulence and self-doubt. Clance and Imes discovered that these women had difficulty internalising their achievements, often attributing their success to luck or external factors rather than their own abilities. They termed this “Imposter Phenomenon”, later known as “Imposter Syndrome”.

Elizabeth Cox is a writer and educator who collaborated with TED-Ed to create the animation entitled “What is Imposter Syndrome and How Can You Combat It?” Through her work, since its inception in the late 1970s, Elizabeth Cox has played a role in normalising discussions around Imposter syndrome, empowering individuals to recognize and address these feelings in both academic and professional settings.

Elizabeth Cox’s TED-Ed animation has garnered millions of views, serving as an educational resource that raises awareness about Imposter Syndrome. It offers valuable insights for coaches to help clients overcome self-doubt and inadequacy.

In the TED Talk, Elizabeth Cox discusses how Albert Einstein and Maya Angelou experienced Imposter Syndrome despite their extraordinary achievements. Albert Einstein doubted his genius, often feeling like a fraud and describing himself as an “involuntary swindler”. Maya Angelou confessed that, even after 11 books, she felt unqualified for her success and feared being exposed.

Accomplishments at the level of Maya Angelou or Albert Einstein are rare. However, their feelings of fraudulence are extremely common, and no imaginary threshold of accomplishment puts these feelings to rest. Imposter Syndrome is not just restricted to highly skilled individuals. It transcends history, gender, race, age and occupation, and it is especially prevalent in under-represented groups. In fact, calling it a syndrome downplays how universal it is.

As Elizabeth Cox explains, everyone is susceptible to a phenomenon known as pluralistic ignorance, where we each doubt ourselves privately but believe we are alone in thinking that way because nobody else voices their doubts. It is tough to know how hard people around us work and how difficult they find certain tasks. We can’t know how much effort they need to put in or how much they doubt themselves. There is no easy way to dismiss suspicions that we are alone in doubting ourselves and we are, in fact, less capable than the people around us.

The irony is that if Imposter Syndrome slips in, you are most likely not actually lacking in skill or care. In fact, it is often the most thoughtful, skilful, self-aware people who feel Imposter Syndrome most acutely.

Imposter feelings often surface when you are growing, stretching, or doing something that matters. If you feel the onset of Imposter Syndrome, be reassured that you care and are likely engaging in something that is very important or meaningful to you.

If Imposter Syndrome begins to creep in, know that you are experiencing a very real and universal human experience that transcends time, race, gender, occupation, or skill level. In fact, congratulations, be encouraged, you are thinking like an Albert Einstein or a Maya Angelou. With the right kind of awareness, reflection and deliberate action, you might be on the verge of something valuable.

Imposter Syndrome can be a warning sign against overconfidence, hubris or unethical behaviour. Whilst Imposter Syndrome tends to be viewed negatively, it is also often associated with growth and valuable traits such as a genuine motivation to improve, humility, empathy, better teamwork and avoidance of complacency.

The challenging news is that too intense feelings of Imposter Syndrome can be crippling and can be associated with chronic self-doubt, burnout, fear of failure, low self-esteem and even mental health struggles. If left unchecked and unchallenged, Imposter Syndrome can and does hold people back from genuinely realising their full potential or enjoying their achievements.

Too much Imposter Syndrome can be paralysing. No Imposter Syndrome doubts at all are likely signs of hubris.

The key to overcoming Imposter Syndrome is to recognise that whilst you are unlikely to be able to banish the feelings entirely, there is a helpful middle ground. A bit of Imposter Syndrome, if understood and managed correctly, has the potential to become an opportunity.

If you are interested in learning how to make Imposter Syndrome a catalyst for change and growth, you may like to read our related article on overcoming Imposter Syndrome or contact us to discuss the possibility of coaching.