Nearly all of us have felt like imposters at one time or another. We suffer anxiety-inducing thoughts about our incompetence or lack of qualification. We wonder if we got admitted or hired by mistake. In silent agony, we wait to be revealed as frauds and shown to the exit.
Mentoring Someone with Imposter Syndrome
How can you mentor someone suffering from imposter syndrome? It’s hard to encourage someone’s glaring talent, achievement, and creativity when it doesn’t jibe with the mentee’s self-perceptions of potential and performance. Luckily, there are several strategies for mentorship that can help. First, normalize their feelings. If a mentee confesses imposter anxiety, shrug your shoulders, smile warmly, and say, “You and 70% of the people around you. Welcome to the club!” Another approach is to challenge their negative self-talk with data and concrete evidence of their stellar performance. Remember to remind them that they do belong and are in fact competent. It’s worth sharing your own experience with imposter syndrome, too. Finally, do not let your employee give you all the credit for their own good work.