One day, as I was starting my normal work routine, something unexpected occurred. It was a normal day and I felt great. It was a normal day, and I was enjoying managing a new project. That day, however, I felt a voice in my head say “I’m a fraud!”
I tried to forget it, but doubt kept coming back at me. I kept thinking about it.
“What gives you the right? ” “Who are you to lead this project?”
It was a normal doubt. But it made me think. Was it a fraud?
I was suffering from impostor syndrome.
I didn’t want help and kept it to myself. This project was difficult for me, and I never got over it.
It was difficult for me to accept that I wasn’t a fraud.
One of the most difficult problems in a workplace is impostor syndrome. It’s hidden in the background, so it doesn’t draw attention to itself. However, it’s a real problem that you should be aware of.
This is especially true for project managers.
Why? Many project managers are placed in this position by chance. They didn’t earn a management degree. They didn’t study to be a PM. They are now leaders, managers, and make decisions.
It’s not uncommon to feel the same feeling in this situation — the feeling that your identity is a fraud, that you shouldn’t be here, that someone will eventually find out that you are unqualified.
What is the impostor syndrome?
Although impostor syndrome is not recognized in the DSM, psychologists and other experts have recognized it. It’s a common condition that affects many people at some time in their lives.
This should be enough to give you some relief. Research shows that 70% of Millennials suffer from imposter syndrome. The phenomenon isn’t just limited to Millennials. Tobias van Schneider writes that “Imposter Syndrome” affects most people.
According to the American Psychological Association, impostor syndrome is often experienced when:
You feel a strong urge to perform and achieve well
You begin a new job or position
You can become too perfectionistic
Sometimes, it just happens.
It can lead to self-criticism and a decrease in performance, lower health, and high levels of stress. Anxiety levels rise and self-esteem falls.
Impostor syndrome can lead to a vicious cycle. People often beat themselves up about their feelings of inadequacy. Regardless of whether they succeed or fail to achieve their goals, they blame their self-criticism for any failures, which only makes matters worse.
Because project managers are responsible for the oversight and leadership of their projects, these feelings are common. There is often pressure, implicit or explicit, and stress.
It’s also true that most project managers are high achievers. This is the group that impostor syndrome targets most.
All of these factors make it possible for the impostor phenomenon to flourish.
This is why you suddenly hear that voice in your head that makes it question you.
Here’s the million-dollar question: What can we do about it?
Most people who have it tend to wait and wait for it not to happen. Or worse, they push themselves to the limit, believing that if they work hard enough they will stop feeling like phonies.
There are better ways to address this problem.
It doesn’t matter if you wait and hope it goes away. You can take concrete steps to defeat this feeling and regain your old self.
Here’s how it works.
1. Don’t be hard on yourself.
We often feel like fakes when we feel it.
We believe that the little voice in our heads is right and that we don’t deserve where we are.
Isn’t it fascinating that high achievers often suffer from impostor syndrome? They are the ones who have worked hard and have likely received praises from their bosses and coworkers.
This is an eye-opener
