The Downside of Imposter Syndrome At Work

Posted by Jan 29, 2023 Empowering Your Staff, Featured

Imposter Syndrome At Work

What’s Imposter Syndrome?

Some of your top performers may be struggling with imposter syndrome at work. You definitely want to address this. Here’s why.Imposter Syndrome At Work

Imposter syndrome (IS) is extremely common and present in all types of workplaces (Bravata, et al). KPMG LLP‘s research notes that IS afflicts 75 percent of female executives in the US. In fact, 70 to 80 percent of the entire US workforce experience IS at some point in their careers (NIH and Forbes).

Staff with IS typically perform well. Yet, they adhere to beliefs that cause them to doubt their abilities, attribute success to luck, and feel like frauds or phonies. Unfortunately, some consequential behaviors impinge on others and the workplace environment and productivity.

The syndrome can be temporary such as when someone accepts a challenging new position or changes jobs altogether. Or, it can be chronic. In the latter case, the syndrome tends to result from difficult childhood experiences or trauma. In either situation, the behaviors and underlying thoughts that catalyze them are quite consistent across imposters.

Surprising Upside of Imposter Syndrome

People with IS lack confidence and fear of being exposed. Consequently, they try extra hard. They become perfectionists and workaholics who resolutely strive to fulfill personally defined and often exaggeratedly high standards. (For more signs and causes of IS in the workplace).

Thus, it’s not surprising that many imposters are high achievers and excellent performers such as academics, professionals with advanced degrees, and senior managers (KPMG LLP 2020 study and Badaway, Gazdag, and Brouer).

So, what’s the downside to imposter syndrome in the workplace?

The Contradictory Nature of the Syndrome

It may be difficult or impossible to fully monetize. But, IS generates some significant costs to managers, direct reports, colleagues, human resources (HR) staff, and the workplace as a whole. In addition, the imposter her/himself endures significant emotional, mental, and physical stress as well as its negative consequences. (See more on how the person with imposter syndrome experiences themselves and their workplace).

Let’s look at classic issues with, and complaints registered against, the imposter. These signs may identify a problem with imposter syndrome in your workplace. And, you’ll gain a sense of the level of potential disruption within your workplace. 

Imposter Syndrome Toxicity In the Workplace

Imposters exhibit many behaviors the average person doesn’t realize may be a sign of the syndrome. One reason is the behaviors aren’t unique to the IS. However, if you notice or hear complaints about one or all of these symptoms, you may be dealing with an imposter. They tend to react differently to feedback and criticism. Therefore, knowing their status will help you craft appropriate assistance and intervention and effectively address imposter syndrome at work. (See How To Empower Your Staff Members Who Have Imposter Syndrome.)

Challenges For Managers

  • Decreased innovation and productivity – Staff with IS are stressed. Under stress, people become hyper-focused, less creative, and more reactive. In fact, prioritization of energy within the body disfavors the area of the brain responsible for executive functioning. In sum, the body’s natural stress response negatively impacts creativity and mental performance.
  • Increased absenteeism – As a result of stress, anxiety, and even burnout, imposters may take more personal leave. If substantial, their absences can upset and retard workflow, making them less reliable and a liability to others and workplace output.
  • Difficulty meeting deliverable deadlines and client dissatisfaction – An imposter’s obsessive perfectionism positively contributes to the quality of services and outputs. However, classic IS behavior such as uncompromising scrutiny of details, rigid quality control, compulsive tweaking, and failure to delegate create significant delays. missed deadlines and loss of clients.
  • More time dedicated to refereeing employee disputes – Covered in more detail below, colleagues and direct reports incur difficulties with imposters’ tendencies to, micro-manage, work in isolation, be hyper-critical, and delay sharing their input to collaborative work. This leads to more disputes and greater demands on the manager’s time.
  • Disruption of leadership succession – Imposters can disrupt management’s succession plans when they fail to embrace certain management roles (e.g task delegation, engagement), delay requisite training out of fear of exposing their inadequacies, or quit their jobs altogether. Remember, imposters dread disappointing their supervisors. In addition, successive promotions entailing more responsibility and visibility can intensify the imposters’ internal conflict and exacerbate their stress with increasingly debilitating consequences.

Problems For Colleagues/Team Members

  • Inaccessibility to colleagues and poor collaboration – Imposters often isolate. Thus, they’re less accessible. In addition, they’re less apt to exchange input and insights with their colleagues, which would otherwise benefit both. For teams and highly interdependent workflows, this is especially problematic. Furthermore, being fault-finders, imposters can be demoralizing for others.
  • Delayed contributions to joint projects and failure to meet completion dates – Failure to delegate within teams and to subordinates, creates delays. Excessive and unrealistic attention to detail and quality standards does so as well. Overall, everyone’s workflow is disrupted, performance suffers, and deadlines slip. In a sense, the imposter takes the team down with him/her.
  • Controlling behavior in team or group work – Imposters, especially males, tend to want to control the collaborative work process and may play up their competencies to mask where they are less confident and thus forgo opportunities to learn from colleagues. They may also fail to seek assistance or additional training for fear of exposing what they perceive as a weakness.

Complaints From Direct Reports

  • Their supervisor is too controlling and critical – As mentioned, imposters can be micro-managers and obsessed with details and quality control. As a result, direct reports are stifled, feel mistrust, and avoid interaction with their supervisor.
  • Lack of opportunities for professional growth and therefore advancement – Supervisors with IS fail to trust and delegate. Their behavior limits professional growth opportunities for promising staff who are eager to take on new challenges, gain experience, and build their professional portfolio.
  • Delay in feedback and personnel annual reviews and evaluations – Those with imposter syndrome dread reviews and performance evaluations. Thus, they procrastinate in submitting staff evaluations. As a consequence, they delay their staff’s promotions and salary adjustments.
  • Lack of confidence and trust in their supervisor – In the eyes of direct reports, the imposter’s self-criticism, incessant planning, anxiousness, and waffling appear as a lack of self-confidence and undermines trust. For direct reports, their supervisor’s lack of engagement signals a disinterest in them and their work. They may feel unsupported, isolated, confused, and frustrated. In sum, they can’t trust their supervisor to supervise.

HR Concerns

  • Downward pressure on staff morale – Imposter syndrome at work can poison staff interactions. While appearing dedicated and competent, many imposters have an unfavorable view of their work because they’re uncertain, uncomfortable, anxious about advancements or promotions, stressed, and even burnt out. This leads to attrition. The imposter’s mood and behaviors may also poison the work environment. Consequently, colleagues and direct hires of imposters may negatively assess the workplace as well, and decide to leave.
  • Increased time and costs associated with management and staff disputes – As with managers, HR staff are drawn into staff disputes that are related to the syndrome.
  • Increased costs due to staff stress and its consequences – physical, mental, and emotional stress outcomes have costs: both financial and administrative.
  • Staff attrition and associated costs – Staff attrition negatively impacts the workplace through a loss of talent and institutional memory as well as the costs associated with staff release and replacement.

Netting It Out

Given the talents and skills of staff with imposter syndrome, they tend to be significant positive contributors. But, they can also create some real costs to themselves, other staff, and the workplace in general. Not all imposters exhibit all of the above behaviors. But, as all too often happens, management and HR focus on the imposter’s contributions, and, in so doing, overlook their negative influence on others.

First and foremost, managers and senior management need to recognize that the workplace has a trust issue because staff who need help and guidance are afraid to seek it. This needs to be addressed immediately. If managers and HR choose to tease out the IS issues present in their workplace and offer tailored assistance and training that addresses the dysfunctionality, they can significantly mitigate many problems and reap important gains.

By offering support to those with IS, they increase overall staff productivity and well-being. Not insignificant, they can also reduce attrition and the costs associated with the disruption and staff replacement.

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About Patricia Bonnard, PhD, ACC

Mind-body-spirit healing. Addressing the whole person, I blend conventional coaching, embodied practices, and energy healing to help you live a more balanced, confident and conscious life. Offering sessions in-person (Bethesda, MD and Washington, DC area) and virtually anywhere in the world. Workshops, eBooks, free guided meditations, and an active blog are also available.
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