BEWARE OF THE ‘IMPOSTER PHENOMENON’

BEWARE OF THE ‘IMPOSTER PHENOMENON’
By Lucille Maddalena, Ed.D.
What is the Imposter Phenomenon? One very successful female corporate executive recently described this hidden barrier to her own success:

"The main barrier I had to face before successfully achieving the position I am in today has been my personal inner voice that kept warning me I would soon “be found out”, that I was “playing” professional and that the someone would soon call my bluff. The barrier has definitely been more emotional than factual, inside my head.”

Once thought to be the foible of women only, this false sense of inferiority was first described as the “Imposter Phenomenon” in 1978 by Pauline Rose Clance & Suzanne Imes. In their studies, Clance and Imes, stated that success for women in business was simply not expected and that lack of expectations was internalized by women; as result they felt they were “fooling other people”:

“Thus, unlike men, who tend to own success as attributable to a quality inherent in themselves, women are more likely either to project the cause of success outward to an external cause (luck) or to a temporary internal quality (effort) that they do not equate with inherent ability.”

Depending on their background, could the same be true for some men? The tendencies noted in the Clance And Imes study may actually be more prevalent in men than their early studies indicated. For example, when I published an article on the Imposter Phenomena on my blog, I received a dozen responses from men questioning the implications of the phenomena for their gender. I would like to hear from others who have experienced this Phenomenon. If you have a story to share, please respond to this blog or send a note to me at: lmaddalena@focalpointcoaching.com.

What causes successful women in 2008 America to exhibit the same false sense of inadequacy that plagued women in an era when Goldy Hawn was painted with graffiti dancing to disco on the TV show , “Laugh-in”? Why are successful male entrepreneurs still inclined to dismiss their success as “blind luck”? How does our own erroneous self-perception limit our future?
It is important to be able to recognize the symptoms of the Imposter Phenomenon and learn how to avoid this barrier to personal success.

The first step to test your self-concept is through introspection. Challenge yourself and seek to recognize if you hold any secret misperceptions of your value and standing. Take a few minutes to answer these questions to get a quick read of your self-concept:
(1) Do you find that you are not experiencing an internal sense of success --despite earned degrees, scholastic honors, high achievement on standardized tests, praise and professional recognition from colleagues and respected authorities?

(2) Do you secretly feel you are not intelligent and believe that you are fooling others?
(3) Do you feel others may have over-evaluated your abilities, skill and talent?
(4) Do you find yourself acting anxious, lacking self-confidence, or have feelings of depression and frustration over a perceived inability to meet self-imposed standards of performance?
(5) Do you often attribute an unexpected performance outcome to a temporary cause or an expected performance outcome to a stable cause?

If you answered ‘yes’ to all or a majority of these questions, you may have uncovered the “Imposter Phenomenon” in yourself. You are not alone.

The female executive first quoted here who recognized her personal barrier to success was fortunate to find a woman within her company able to serve as mentor and coach:
“ A female mentor, reporting to several skilled female managers and reading about female leadership has helped me understand the underlying reason or this reluctance to accept my own skills, allowing me to succeed in my profession.”


The best thing any man or woman in a highly visible leadership post can do – whether you are part of a corporate structure or own your own business -- is to develop your own support network. The process of having others to talk to and work through difficult issues is valuable. Find those you trust and allow yourself to expose any concerns. Seek out others who have achieved their goals, who have a broader view of the world and who have experiences you need to share. Once an issue becomes public, it loses its power.

Studies show that a significant number of successful business leaders today have realized the benefits of working with a coach. Executive Coaches are often assigned by firms on the cutting-edge of talent management to reward the success of employees who show potential leadership abilities. For entrepreneurs and business leaders, qualified Business Coaches certified by Focal Point are specifically trained to focus on time, team, money and relationships.
If you’re not enjoying the rewards of your career, now is the time to focus on achieving your dreams.


BIOGRAPHY
Lucille Maddalena, Ed.D. is a certified FocalPoint Business Coach with twenty years experience as an Executive Coach and Management Consultant providing management skill training, team building, meeting facilitation, conflict resolution processes, and group coaching programs. More than 6,000 managers have successfully completed her popular TRANSITIONS TO MANAGEMENT seminars. You can see Dr. Maddalena's recently published articles on her website or blogs: www.mtmanagement.net or call her directly at FocalPoint Coaching at (732) 529-5029.