Yep, you heard us, we believe that having imposter syndrome can be your superpower. It all starts with listening to your fears.
The fear that you don’t have all the skills you need to go for the role you really want
The fear that you might fail because you haven’t done this work before in this way
The fear of not having all the answers that your team is looking to you to answer
If any of these fears sound familiar you are in good company. According to the International Journal of Behavioral Science, more than 70% of people are affected by workplace imposter thoughts at some point in their lives. It is natural to sometimes feel like you are an imposter. Our brains are wired to create these fears to protect us, not just from tigers anymore!
The good news is that we know for neuro-science that we can reprogram our brains and use the feeling of being an imposter to actually fuel us in our careers and as leaders.
The first step is awareness. Take note of when you feel this way, if you find yourself wanting to go for a position or to take on a difficult project but stop yourself because of imposter thoughts and feelings, this is usually a sign of where you should be or where you have potential to excel.
From there you can leverage these thoughts and feelings, because used correctly, they create the curiosity and growth that all successful leaders embody.
Use these feelings to ask questions and be curious. When you don’t have all the answers this gives you an opportunity to listen, to learn and to engage your team.
Seek out opportunities to learn and grow. Just because you may not know everything now does not mean you can’t learn it. You don’t have to be an expert from the start. You are smart. You will figure out what you don’t yet know.
Don’t wait! Don’t wait for these feelings to go away before you move forward and go for the next big thing. Embrace the fear, let it be a sign you are moving in the direction of your true purpose, let it move you to take action and Lead from Intention.