The Imposter Syndrome Part 2 (Victims No More!)

Author: Alina Aronova, Founder of Almax Executive Advisory and “Go to Executive Coach for High Achievers”

In the part 1 of my article we covered 5 different types of the imposter syndrome. Why was it important to distinguish between different types and allow every reader to identify their type? The answer is very simple. Any behavioral change starts with awareness and wiliness to change. I also believe that by recognizing which type we are we can better determine which change tactic would work best for us.

As I gave into my perfectionist tendencies, I read every article I could find about the imposter syndrome and watched every YouTube video looking for wisdom and silver bullet solutions.

So there are good news and bad news. The bad news is that there is really no permanent solution to kill imposter syndrome for good (I would not trust anyone who will claim otherwise) but the good news is that every single person has it at some point so it is totally normal and, most importantly, there are very effective remedies to control and minimize the effects of the imposter syndrome anytime you start experiencing it.

When I was doing my research, I found a ton of articles that kept mentioning 5 to 20 different solutions but the articles seemed repeating themselves. Also a 'laundry list' of ideas did not work for my systematic mind. So as I gathered all of my research and insights I decided to create my own framework that can be both comprehensive and situational at the same time. The goal is that you can easily leverage a specific section of the quadrant because it is more intuitive to you or you can move from one section into another and leverage different components simultaneously or sequentially.

Focus on Facts

• Clearly separate facts and perceptions

• Focus on what you know and record of your previous success

• Allow and plan for acceptable margin of error as a part of a natural learning process

Trust Experts

• Trust opinion and judgment of publicly recognized experts

• Lean into a belief that they know better that you might at this point in time

Moral Support

• Lean into support of people you love, respect and trust

• Take steps that work for you to reinvigorate yourself personally and professionally

Own your Narrative

• Find a way to make small steps to get you feeling like a victim

• Visualize your future success

• Create mental connections between your previous successes and failures

• Remind youself how much you actually know by teaching, mentoring and supporting others

As I tested this framework against my own imposter syndrome situations (my first corporate board seat, launch of Almax Executive Coaching and Leadership Advisory practice to name a few) I see how it helped me to take control of my nerves and get my confidence back.

In my own situations I chose to use all four quadrants. I focused on the facts to identify what I knew, what I still needed to learn, and what I could immediately leverage to my advantage from my existing knowledge base. Just taking a logical approach to create an inventory of facts vs. my fears helped to curb the overwhelming feeling of panic.

I received one of the best piece of advice from my old boss. He simply suggested to trust the opinion of experts and other stakeholders who were more seasoned and accomplished than me over my own judgement at that moment. If I got through numerous interviews with a private equity firm, with a chairman of the board, other board members, CEO and CIO I was indeed qualified. Who was I to question their judgment? Another great piece of advice I got from another mentor of mine. He suggested to try and get myself fired like in the movie "The Office". (The greatest movie of all time, if you ask me).

Another technique I used was to get morale support. In my case I used my husband and my best friend. Those are the only two people on the planet Earth who can see me vulnerable or whose help I can accept when I allow myself a moment of weakness.

Lastly, I always embrace the thought of controlling your narrative. What it means to me is that I look for ways to take control back and take action. Given that I am very action-biased professional, doing nothing, staying frozen and unsure are the worst feelings for me. Doing something, even if it is a small step, allows me to feel that I am taking charge and I am no longer in a victim position.

I hope you will find ways to leverage my Imposter Syndrome Magic Quadrant as you face new situations in your professional future and can effectively take charge of your fears.

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Alina Aronova, Founder of Almax Executive Advisory and “ The Go-to Executive Coach for High Achievers”