Have you ever felt like you were not good enough for a role? Felt out of your depth? Or felt like someone might call you out? Then Rebecca Woods has some words of comfort as she looks into ‘imposter syndrome’.
The term ‘Imposter Syndrome’ originates from the 1970’s when two psychologists, Clance and Imes, observed that many successful professors, administrators and students they supported were concerned they would be revealed as frauds.
Imposter Syndrome is a term often used when we are doubting our abilities or feel we may not be ‘good enough’ in some way. Within the workplace, this may include feeling we are not up to delivering a task we have been set, or that we are not worthy of a promotion.
We feel this way due to perceived personal shortcomings, but sometimes we may label something as Imposter Syndrome when it isn’t.
To use a flower analogy, a dandelion can grow anywhere … but what if you aren’t a dandelion?
Some reasons why we may feel we aren’t “good enough” …
Why we feel we are not good enough
- A physical environment that doesn’t support our needs – the social model of disability states that people are disabled by barriers in society rather than by their difference, yet we may perceive challenges as being our responsibility. How accessible is the environment for YOU?
- An unsupportive culture – perhaps we are in a culture that doesn’t align with our values or where we feel misunderstood, unseen or different.
- On the flip side, we may want and need the opportunity to be treated the same as everyone else but other people, or the environment itself, may not enable this.
- Neurodivergence – those of us with neurodivergence may have different needs than those we spend time with. We may need information to be delivered in a different way, or notice or be impacted by things that others around us aren’t aware of.
Menopause
- Hormonal shifts during times such as pregnancy, perimenopause and menopause mean we may react differently than usual to sensory information such as smells, sounds or temperature.
- Similarly, illness, disability, the ageing process or life events such as bereavement or childlessness can result in our needs changing or us feeling that we don’t ‘fit’.
- Communication is key to building positive relationships and connection – not everyone benefits from the same communicate style, or processes information in the same way or at the same speed.
- In a work environment, some things that might help include …
Raise concerns
- Speaking to your line manager to raise your concerns
- Request / make a referral to occupational health
- Explore support available through Access to Work
- Joining a staff group – this may enable you to connect with others with similar experiences
- If you belong to a Union, seeking further advice from them
- We all experience the world differently.
Not everyone is a dandelion.
READ MORE: BLOG – ‘If you are having a tough time, this may help’
READ MORE: WORKPLACE WELLBEING – ‘Are you looking for an improved wellbeing culture at your place of work?’
WATCH: How a WTS workplace wellbeing package has made a huge difference to this business…
