If you have ever held a leadership position and have never experienced self-doubt, then according to research, you are probably deluding yourself because imposter syndrome is in epidemic proportions. However, asking yourself whether you could have done something better and answering in the affirmative should not send you into a tailspin. On the other hand, if you are living life like Frank Abagnale Jnr, in Catch Me If You Can, then maybe it's time to face up to reality and stop writing cheques that you cannot (legally) cash.
As a researcher, and an inquiry/evidence-based learner, I always read any article with a critical eye and ask myself; “Is this the opinion of the author, or is it evidence based, ethically researched, reviewed, and accepted by experienced/expert scholars and practitioners?”
A lot of what we read on social media is based on surveys, not an academic piece of research. This means the process of investigation on which these opinions are made often lack rigour and can be biased by design.
A recent post on LinkedIn is a good example. The article, based on a survey of people with a leadership responsibility, posited that imposter syndrome is a lack of self-belief brought about by a lack of support as a leader. There was no explanation of the criteria for selection or indication of the experience of the participants of the survey. Regardless, it got me wondering about my own leadership experiences in the army, in education, and as a small business owner.
In the first, I was appointed as a leader after attending the Royal Military Academy (RMAS), completing basic military training, learning essential trade skills, weapon training, tactics, first aid, navigation etc... The army is the breeding ground of leadership; from small units (half sections) of four soldiers, to section commanders, platoon/troop, squadron/company, etc... Each stage of leadership requires training and assessment in order to progress along the leadership continuum. By design, you are exposed to increasing amounts of responsibility. Imposter syndrome was never an issue because you were promoted to a leadership position by an external, independent promotion board based on qualification plus experience. Imposters failed career courses. Suitably qualified and experienced leaders progressed. Mentors are available to guide you through your career.
Special forces selection is the ultimate meritocracy. As a special forces troop commander, I was part of a team of very experienced operators. There was no short cut to success; you lived or died on your credibility. No matter how hard you worked to pass selection, you arrive as a novice, and everyone must be prepared to learn from experience. There are no concessions made for being liked or having qualifications. You have either met the minimum requirement or not. Everything you have achieved before this point means nothing until you can demonstrate your ability. Learning to trust others, having honest discussions about successes and failures, and learning from your mistakes was an absolute must. If you felt that you could have done something better, then you said so. No excuses. You acknowledged your shortcomings and took advice. In other words, humility is essential.
Teaching exposed me to a different type of career progression. Promotion was a matter of self-nomination. Ideally, you spend at least five years learning your craft. Teachers quickly realise where their passion lies, either in a subject, in pastoral care, or in administration. If you believe you are good enough, and sometimes you need to hear that from others, you apply for a leadership position. In this system, great teachers don't always succeed in achieving promotion: good self-promoters do because they can talk a good game. This often results in people with little experience and/or skill being appointed to leadership positions. Such leaders can often (and very quickly) feel out of their depth. As stated in our first blog, there is no substitute for experience. Leadership is a lived experience. It requires exposure to the challenges of leading teams and/or initiatives. Leaders who lack this experience can only fall back on academic theory. Inevitably, such leaders begin to realise their inadequacies but hide them and become defensive and autocratic. Is this imposter syndrome or the stark realisation that you have written cheques that you cannot cash? Are you doubting your skills, or have you come to the realisation that you don't have them? Have you talked yourself up and convinced yourself and others about your ability only to realise that the old adage, fake-it-until-you-make-it is time limited?
The term, imposter syndrome (IS) was first coined by Clance and Imes in 1978, who defined it as:
“a psychological occurrence in which people doubt their skills, talents, or accomplishments and have a persistent internalised fear of being exposed as frauds.”
Subsequent research has shown that their original hypothesis, that IS is gender specific, primarily experienced by females, was incorrect, as further studies consistently show that males are just as likely to suffer from this psychological condition. One must surely conclude that it is more likely to be generation specific rather than gender specific, and that certain organisation cultures (systems, processes, values, behaviours etc) unwittingly promote imposter syndrome by recruiting and promoting people who are out of their depth.
Interestingly, there is no research that seeks to identify which professions experience the greatest amount of imposter syndrome, but one would hazard a guess that a lack of realistic career coaching and mentoring would be prevalent within such organisations.
Research does reveal that the most successful leaders are those that have done the hard yards, experienced failure, and learnt from their mistakes. Jim Collins’ Good to Great is replete with stories of successful organisations whose leaders have gone through many difficult leadership experiences. Level 5 leaders, according to Collins, display a powerful mix of personal humility and indominable will.
In a fast paced, social media driven world full of success stories, where lived experience is no longer deemed as necessary but can instead be avoided, it is of no surprise to me that young, or inexperienced leaders are duped by such messages, and if they follow this path, will eventually experience a crisis of self-doubt. Somehow avoiding uncomfortable conversations, or not having experience of being in a team, or leading a team that has experienced failure, will lead to:
a psychological occurrence in which you will doubt your skills, talents, or accomplishments and have a persistent internalised fear of being exposed as a fraud,
In last week’s blog, we suggested that lots of professional development courses are often doomed before they start because of the attitude of the learner, particularly when they feel that they know it all already. This attitude to learning as something that I did before I made it, can be overcome through effective coaching. Having a growth mindset applies at all levels. A learning culture promotes a growth mindset.
There is plenty of evidence to suggest that coaching works to help adults learn through experience, but why does it work?
Cox et al. (2014, pp. 6–8) set out three theories of adult learning that they feel underpin all of coaching practice:
Malcolm Knowles’ (1978) – focusing on what motivates adult learning, including self-direction and a need for relevance. These motivations are clearly reflected in coaching practice, which supports the client to identify their most relevant issues and to come up with their own solutions.
Mezirow’s theory of transformative learning (2003), which explains how something, for example, a life event or a coaching interaction, can challenge our thinking and give us a new perspective that leads to change.
Kolb’s theory of experiential learning, in which he suggests that our ideas are not fixed and irreversible, but are ‘formed and re-formed through experience (Kolb, 1984, p. 26).
Conclusions
1. Imposter syndrome should not be confused with the uncomfortable feelings one experiences in a leadership situation. Without these challenges you will not develop the skills necessary to become a good leader. Develop an honest relationship with a trusted colleague or professional coach/mentor and discuss reality.
2. Imposter syndrome should not be confused with the realisation that you have written cheques that you cannot cash. Fake it until you make it is complete BS. Be honest with yourself and take action.
3. Self-reflection and self-honesty about where you are in your personal and career development is essential. This requires humility.
4. The realisation that you need to learn new skills, adopt new approaches, or drop approaches that are no longer fit for purpose is NORMAL, not a cause for beating yourself up. We all sometimes doubt our abilities and wish to improve certain aspects of our attitudes or skills. This is not IS. It is an inner call-for-action.
5. Seek-out a professional coach and/or mentor and have uncomfortable conversations. A good coach/mentor will challenge you, not just about your skills, but also about your values and beliefs.
6. Humility is a virtue. Just because you aspire to leadership doesn't mean you are ready to lead. Gain the experience over time, and put yourself forward when you are ready.
Gerard McCann,
MBA, Coaching, Mentoring and Leadership.
Director KCM 80-20
References
Cox, E., Bachkirova, T. and Clutterbuck, D. (2014) The Complete Handbook of Coaching, 2nd edn, London, SAGE Publications Ltd.
Knowles, M. (1978) The Adult Learner: A Neglected Species, Texas, US, Gulf.
Kolb, D. (1984) Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development, New Jersey, US, Prentice Hall.
Mezirow, J. (2003) ‘Transformative learning as discourse’, Journal of Transformative Education, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 58–63.
תגובות