Do members of your team struggle with confidence?  It’s a common problem that is getting lots of attention.

Imposter syndrome occurs when an individual has a false belief that their success or accomplishments were the result of being in the right place at the right time or just by being lucky. According to Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes, who invented the term, this belief is extremely common among high achieving women. Despite evidence of earned success, they have an incredible difficulty acknowledging their own hard earned accomplishments.

Check out these signs that you may have team members who are struggling with imposter syndrome:

• Fearful of being discovered as a fraud
• Feels unworthy of success
• Feels anxious, depressed, or undertrained
• Never feels prepared
• Minimized positive feedback
• Struggles to trust others

It’s common for this pattern of behavior to show up after a new promotion or being put into a leadership position. If you need a resource to help deal with this issue in your organization, check out Dr. Valerie Youn’s book “The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women: Why Capable People Suffer from Imposter Syndrome and How to Thrive in Spite of It.” She identifies the five types of imposter syndromes and how they show up in a work environment.

There are several ways you can help your employees overcome this overwhelming thought pattern and here are a few to get you started:

• Help them set realistic goals
• Help them praise themselves for a job well done
• Help them create a support system to lean on when they feel overwhelmed

Schedule a free strategy call to see how we can pinpoint the problem and devise a plan.