Impostor syndrome: how to free yourself from it?

"If I got good results, it was a huge stroke of luck." - "On this project, the others are bound to do better than me." - "Oh yes, he's right. Once again, I hadn't thought of that." 

These are the kinds of thoughts that run through the minds of some people who suffer from impostor syndrome.  According to the Journal of Behavioral Science, 70% of us will experience it at some point in our lives. However, it is neither inevitable nor an incurable ailment. Company leaders, HR and managers all have a part to play and have plenty of levers at their disposal to counter this phenomenon.

To explore the subject, we spoke with Marie Barbier (HR Director at Morning), who looks back on the impact of impostor syndrome on the company and the various practical tips for overcoming it. 

The 4 impostor behaviours  

People affected by impostor syndrome - also known as the "impostor phenomenon" or the "impostor experience" - express a systematic self-doubt that amounts to denying ownership of any personal achievement. They reject the credit due for their work and attribute the success of their endeavours to factors outside themselves (other people, luck, circumstances).  

Formalised by the psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes in 1978 (with a sample of 150 women), impostor syndrome is fed by four underlying behaviours:

1/ Relentless hard workers. Fearing they will be taken for a fraud, the people concerned feel they must make up an imagined intellectual shortfall stemming from their perception of the gap between their own intellect and how others see it. 

2/ The masked and silent. Those affected by the syndrome do not talk about their true feelings or ideas; they prefer to say what they imagine chimes with what their superiors think. That way, no one can criticise them. They are so agreeable that they become unassailable.

3/ Remarkable charmers. To win their superiors' favour and be recognised as the "star" pupil, the impostor plays a part. Unfortunately, once validated by their peers, they begin to question their abilities, believing the validation was earned through their acting skills rather than their real abilities. A distinctly vicious circle sets in. 

4/ The eternally modest. In the impostor, modesty reigns supreme. By avoiding any show of self-confidence, they leave no one able to challenge them on their intellect or their ideas. In this way, conflicts and confrontations are avoided.

Impostor syndrome: 7 in 10 French people affected

Impostor syndrome, which currently affects 7 in 10 French people, does not seem to be confined to one gender. As mentioned earlier, 70% of the population are thought to suffer from it at some point in their lives, men and women alike. That said, some psychologists and specialists on the subject acknowledge that this syndrome affects women more readily. A study was carried out in the tech sector and shows that 50% of women frequently experience this syndrome, compared with 39% of men.

Feelings of fraudulence can also affect those who are promoted quickly, finding themselves in a position where they feel out of their depth. Marie Barbier explains: "This phenomenon is often bound up with not being in the right place at the right time. In one and the same role, an employee may not feel they belong and end up burnt out, whereas they might be brimming with confidence taking on the same job, some time later, at a different company."

This syndrome can show up in two ways, sometimes at the same time depending on the individual:

• Burnout/overwork : the employee feels a constant need to push their efforts ever further to make up for a lack of confidence, often seen in those who describe themselves as "too much of a perfectionist" in interviews.

• Procrastination: for others, the syndrome can translate into intense stress, pushing them to put off the tasks at hand until the next day. 

"To avoid reaching that point, it is important to know yourself and to understand that certain environments and certain internal set-ups cannot suit every employee. Especially when we know that aggravating factors are sometimes at play. " advises Marie Barbier.

What factors can heighten this syndrome? 

Every employee can go through a spell of "impostor syndrome", often at the expense of their wellbeing, which underlines how important it is for organisations and managers to develop tools to help their employees overcome this feeling. 

In reality, certain management styles can be aggravating factors for this syndrome among employees, and can sometimes even trigger it. Vicious circles can set in very quickly. The more stressed employees feel in their work, the more they give in to panic and become counterproductive. Fertile ground for feelings of fraudulence.

☞ A lack of communication stops those affected by the syndrome from opening up and asking for help. Yet these people have a great need to talk things through, to air their workload, to free themselves from the imaginary competition that blights their daily lives.

☞ An overly top-down management style can create situations ripe for the syndrome to develop. In front of their superiors, some people go to ever greater lengths to make a good impression and put on a mask. Might it not be beneficial to reduce the layers of hierarchy  and consider a more collaborative set-up?

☞ A lack of reporting and feedback is ideal for the "impostors" who are forever seeking to be recognised as the "star" pupil. With continuous feedback, these people could genuinely be reassured and stop playing a part.  

Recognition within the company is necessary and it contributes to employees' wellbeing and helps those who experience this impostor syndrome to realise the positive impact of their commitment and their work.

5 tips for companies to help defeat impostor syndrome

A good support structure, with tools and training opportunities, can help in these situations. At Morning, Marie Barbier puts in place processes designed to counter the conditions that foster impostor syndrome. We share them with you below, for information.

• Stay alert on the HR side: 

"On the HR side, as soon as I spot someone working excessively or pushing beyond their usual pace, I am alerted and make sure to check on their wellbeing and their place in the company. I inform the coordinators or colleagues and make sure there is no problem. If the person is working more than the others for no apparent reason, we look to support them, using the coaching tools available. HR must stay vigilant and give their employees the fullest possible support."

• Create more opportunities to share: 

"We encourage open communication so that employees feel comfortable sharing their concerns at any time, not just during annual reviews. At Morning, when someone changes role, we put in place a trial period to make sure the new role suits the person and that they have the tools they need. This avoids letting someone take on a new role without any follow-up, calling for regular check-ins to make sure everything is going well."

• Create a caring environment: 

"Avoiding putting pressure on employees, acknowledging the right to make mistakes and creating a caring environment where people can learn from their errors without being punished, are the keys to a healthy environment. Choosing a professional environment suited to your personality is essential to thrive and avoid impostor syndrome. Recognising your needs and choosing an environment that matches your personality is crucial to maintaining self-confidence. Not everyone is cut out to work in the same type of environment." 

• Offer personalised coaching: 

"We have coaches and a tool called Coach Hello to support those who run into difficulties. We also offer training on stress management and public speaking, delivered by in-house sophrologists. Internal communication is open so that employees feel comfortable sharing their concerns and enabling us to put new tools in place."

• Take your time before committing: 

"We automatically renew the probationary period, given its importance for both the employee and the company, especially after training. One month before the end of the first probationary period, we hold an in-depth interview to gauge how the employee feels, make sure everything is in line with their expectations, and identify their needs. If all is well, we renew the probationary period and continue to follow the employee with regular check-ins, notably one month before the end, to ensure they are thriving and to discuss their contribution to the team. Another point worth highlighting: at Morning we practise non-negotiation of salaries, because we are not all equal when it comes to the art of negotiation. On the one hand, the best negotiators are not always the best performers; on the other, we must not disadvantage those who do not negotiate, generally the people affected by impostor syndrome. "

To go further, here is a talk by the entrepreneur and CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes on the subject of impostor syndrome, in which he explains how to use it to your advantage. For anyone interested:

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You now know just about everything about the processes put in place at Morning to help everyone feel they belong in their work. If you have ideas to enrich the subject, do not hesitate to share them with us in the comment field below!
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