How can you overcome imposter syndrome when seeking a promotion?

Whenever you feel you are not good enough for a new job or a promotion and the impostor syndrome is kicking in, make a detailed list of all of the accomplishments and competencies you have on that field and the value you have added to the organization so far. You should write them down, so you have a visual of all of the experience you have that may make you ready and add value to the new step! With examples of challenges overcame either as an individual or as part of a team, and competencies you acquired, you can be more comfortable when discussing about yourself and how prepared you are for a new step. As we review our past achievements and document them, we could be surprised on how much we have done.

An action and a thought... Write down your skills, personal qualities, achievements and things you like about yourself. Know them and own them - to combat Imposter Syndrome. Possibly, it's only a narcissist that doesn't have any vestiges of Imposter Syndrome!

Acknowledging the there-there is always a great first step. Bringing the issue to awareness helps to deconstruct and simplify the solution. For a week, take a daily inventory of critical meetings and interactions. Ask yourself, did I feel like an imposter today? Can I pinpoint why? Are biases at play? How can I mitigate these hurdles and be the amazing, outstanding person I know I am?

Truth Bomb#1 - Firstly, imposter syndrome is not a syndrome - it is not a disease. It is the (sometimes exaggerated) sense that you are not up to the job and that you will be found out. Truth Bomb #2 - everyone feels this to a greater or lesser extent. It is perfectly human and natural. To not feel it at all, ever, is a sign of narcissistic or even psychopathic tendency. So get over yourself and embrace it! Truth Bomb#3 - if you do not act as an imposter at times, you would learn and achieve very little, perhaps nothing. A kid learning to ride a bike is an imposter - he keeps getting back on the bike pretending he can ride it, but he's an imposter until he stops falling off.

Hmmm all very valid contributions here. The number one sign to recognise is the organisational cultural factors that lead, often underrepresented groups, to feeling they're not good enough. These include: contributions and talents being overlooked; non-representation at senior levels and progression being postioned as tokenism or fulfilling a diversity target.

Be you. You’ve made it there for a reason. Someone saw something in you and you need to recognise that and build on that. Authenticity is what it’s about these days. Bring your authentic self to work and inspire those around you. Take the space and flourish. Sure it can be uncomfortable at the start but go with the flow and trust the process. You’ve got this !

Minha dica é: conheça o seu diferencial, o que te faz único. A maioria das pessoas a quem faço essa pergunta não sabem responder ou demoram para responder. Para conhecer o seu diferencial, reflita sobre o que você ama fazer (que faria até sem cobrar nada), o que brilha seus olhos, o que você faz com tanto envolvimento que nem vê o tempo passar. Seus maiores talentos, o que te diferencia das outras pessoas. Quando entendi qual era o meu diferencial, ganhei uma força que nem imaginava que tinha!

Many people have a tendency to fight fires at work, becoming so busy with activities day in and day out that they neglect to record their contributions. They frequently experience the imposter syndrome when it comes time to evaluate their performance. The key to overcoming imposter syndrome is to acknowledge and value your strengths. Remind yourself of compliments, write down your accomplishments, and own your knowledge.

Insecure people make lousy leaders. Overcome your insecurity and imposter syndrome by believing you should be there. It's no accident that you've gotten where you already are. Smart people chose you for those roles and they'll choose you for the next.

Recently I got the suggestion to make a calculation of the number of attendees in all the sessions, workshops, training and keynotes I gave over the years. Then I had to break it down in countries, cities and languages. Then I had to calculate all the articles I wrote and interviews I gave. It gave me such a great insight and eased the confidence. My take away: be more aware of the numbers, the successes (even if they feel little), the goals you have reached, hear the compliments you get (this last one is hard for me, I tend to not hear compliments but to sharp on feedback)

It's important to remember that seeking support and mentorship isn't a sign of weakness, but a strategic move towards growth and self-improvement. Engaging in executive coaching or leadership training can provide valuable insights and strategies to overcome self-doubt, build confidence, and enhance leadership effectiveness.

𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀: Seek individuals who’ve navigated similar paths for guidance. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲: Share your imposter syndrome feelings with mentors for reassurance. 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸: Regular feedback helps understand your strengths, boosting confidence. 𝗣𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁: Connect with peers facing similar feelings. Shared experiences can help. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽: If stress is high, consider a coach or therapist for coping strategies. 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀: Mentoring can help you realise your knowledge and increase confidence.

Don’t hesitate to seek support from peers, friends, or your professional network. They can offer guidance and feedback. Finding a mentor or coach can provide valuable insights on overcoming doubts and aiming for promotions. Getting diverse perspectives helps boost confidence and motivation.

It's crucial to shift from a self-deficiency paradigm to a self-unfoldment paradigm, recognizing that nothing is missing. By embracing learning and growth, leaders can tap into their innate resources, foster a growth mindset, and effectively navigate change. This approach aligns with the conscious practice of leadership, emphasizing progress, potential, and the power of constructive feedback. It's a journey of self-improvement and unfoldment, fostering resilience and authenticity in leadership roles.

The thing that always allowed me to reach for the next rung of the ladder throughout my career is the way I embraced taking on tasks and projects that were outside of my comfort zone. It was growing into those responsibilities by actually doing them that made it apparent to the leadership team I was hungry for more and would find a way to be successful with what I was given - even if it was unfamiliar. That's also a great way to be able to hit the ground running in a new role with the conference that comes from having handled many of the responsibilities already!

𝗔𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁 𝗮 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁: Understand that skills and knowledge can be developed over time. Embrace challenges as opportunities for learning. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: Invest time in upskilling and reskilling. Attend workshops, webinars, or courses related to your field. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀: Don’t fear failure. Instead, view mistakes as learning opportunities. Reflect on what went wrong and how you can improve. 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀: Acknowledge and celebrate your growth and achievements, no matter how small they may seem. This can boost your confidence and motivation.

Understand and acknowledge that feedback is a gift. Embrace it and use it to reduce your blind spots and improve yourself. Do not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself. Doing this has the dual benefit of personal growth and setting the example for those you lead.

Imposter syndrome can push for perfection, but it's not realistic. Embrace growth by seeking new skills and challenges. Feedback isn’t about judgment but a chance to learn. Adopting a growth mindset values progress and potential over limitations. Embrace learning - it's the key to unlocking your true potential.

The 'fake it till you make it' approach can be a useful tool in overcoming this, particularly when combined with executive coaching or leadership training. It's important to remember that this isn't about being inauthentic, but rather about practicing and embodying the confidence and competence that you aspire to. This can lead to a breakthrough transformation in your leadership effectiveness.

To deal with impostor syndrome, I love the concept on the book Positive Intelligence (by Shirzad Chamine). What has worked for me before: Identify the main saboteur (or impostor pattern), name it and recognize that it is present. Once I did it, I had an inner conversation with this part of myself and defined a plan to do what I wanted to do despite the fear (main emotion in the situation).

Although well-intentioned, "fake it 'til you make it" is a tired old phrase that actually reinforces imposter syndrome because the emphasis is on pretending to be what you think you aren't or aren't enough of. To truly feel confident, competent, and worthy, know that your growth will be awkward and uncomfortable. Instead of "fake it 'til you make it," a much better alternative is "face it 'til you ace it" because the latter emphasizes an authentic approach to evolving yourself beyond your comfort zone to become who you want to be. The positive feedback loop must be genuine by choosing courage to step into the unknown to do what's uncomfortable and to practice continuous self-compassion to support yourself when things may not work out.

Sometimes, acting confident can help overcome imposter feelings. Use positive affirmations, confident body language, and strong communication. Prepare for the promotion process by updating your materials and practicing. It's like a positive loop; confidence boosts performance and authenticity. Keep pushing forward.

In my experience, "fake it till you make it" fed into my insecurities and did not build my confident. I found it more helpful to focus on growing in the area I lacked confidence by researching, observing others, and interviewing others to gain insight. This new insight would then make me more competent and help grow my confidence. I feel more comfortable in my skin when I am genuinely confident and can engage in an authentic way on the content.

One Focus on their accomplishments: Make a list of the successes, big and small, that demonstrate your competence and qualifications for the promotion. Refer to this list regularly to boost your confidence and remind yourself of your value. Everyone should remind conquering imposter syndrome is a journey, not a destination. Be patient with yourself, celebrate your progress, and seek support when needed. With determination and self-compassion, you can overcome your doubts and achieve your full potential.

NOT an advocate of concept of Fake it till you make it... i suggest always to seek out for mentorship and coaching interventions. Fake it till you make can create/ lead blind spots.

Original research on IS was in contexts where women were underrepresented and we see, even today, that underrepresented groups feel IS more often than their counterparts. Rather than an individual approach to overcoming IS, organisations should ask if there is anything in their culture contributing to good candidates feeling like imposters (above the doubts we all have from time to time). In my experience, there are 3 things in an organisational culture that exacerbate it: 1) Micro-exclusions- the peer group to the role I want subtly exclude my expertise or experience 2) No one like me - the role models at the top don't look/sound/have similar background or experiences to me 3) Lack of leader support/interest in my career/aspirations

Não se compare com outros. Se baseie nos seus talentos, experiência e aprendizados acumulados ao longo da carreira, além de responder à pergunta do porquê estes são fundamentais para este próximo passo. Quanto mais energia você gastar comparando-se com outros, menos energia terá para focar no que é realmente importante para o seu crescimento.

Question your brain's predictions. What you think might be “imposter syndrome” is likely your brain simply trying to keep you safe and making predictions based on past experiences. Question what that might be and how that's serving you? Really label it and then reframe. Also, think about your purpose and your why, as this is more likely to propel you forward into new things that enable your growth, even if that means trying and trying again. And don’t forget that change is meant to be uncomfortable. So, tap into that intrinsic motivation and keep going (with the preface to use system 1 and 2 thinking along the way).