This article is written by Cameron Symon, senior program consultant for the Government of Saskatchewan, Canada

Have you ever felt like a fraud at work?

If you have, you’ll know the feeling — constantly looking over your shoulder, expecting someone to call you out at any moment, exposing you for having next to no idea what you are doing. That’s imposter syndrome. First thing you should know is this: you’re not alone.

Everyone I have spoken to about this has admitted to feeling like an imposter at some point in their career. I am fairly new to the public sector, but I think that gives me a pretty good basis to write about imposter syndrome because these feelings seem to be at their worst when we are unsure of the expectations we should place on ourselves.

Even the most accomplished individuals can experience the nagging feeling that they simply don’t deserve the praise they receive. Something so universal to all should be of primary concern to public servants, since it is our jobs to reflect the common good. In order to do that, we must understand people, and that starts with understanding ourselves.

A universal menace

My favourite story about imposter syndrome comes from the author Neil Gaiman who ran into the astronaut Neil Armstrong at a large, star-studded event. According to the story, the two Neils ended up bonding, largely because they both felt like outsiders among the event’s more distinguished guests.

If a world-renowned author and the first man to walk on the moon can feel like this, what hope do the rest of us have of overcoming our insecurities?

For some of us, imposter syndrome is a life-long struggle, and as far as I can tell, no-one is completely spared its attacks, even those of us who seemingly have no reason to doubt ourselves

The good news is that such stories have a levelling effect on experiences across the board, though I would still say mine reflect much more the average person’s brush with imposter syndrome.

My own crises of confidence have occurred while beginning new jobs or new projects. They’ve even occurred after years in a position. In every instance, I’ve had no concrete evidence on which to base these insecurities — no poor reviews or admonishments by supervisors —  only an unshakable feeling of dissatisfaction with my own performance. Yet, time heals all, and so I’ve learned enough from these moments to share some tips that have helped me shrug off imposter syndrome. I hope they help other public servants find similar comfort.

Look at the evidence for your beliefs

In my experience, imposter syndrome and its associated malaise can strike without any external causes. Look at the context of your current situation and rationally examine whether this feeling is supported or unsupported. If there truly is cause for concern, remember that even a negative experience, like a poor review or the loss of a job, is an opportunity to grow and find a better fit.

In the short-term, after something shakes your confidence, it’s natural to second guess your skills and feel like a bit of an imposter, but take your time and build your resilience by leaning on some of the following tips.

Talk to someone about how you’re feeling

One of the ways I learned to quickly deal with feelings of imposter syndrome was to discuss it with a work mentor. Many of us don’t like discussing our own performance, because it opens us up to criticism.

If it is too anxiety-inducing to discuss it openly with a supervisor, seek either a mentor or confidant outside of your organisation, or someone from another department within it. Odds are this person will have been in a similar position and can relate to you, regardless of how accomplished they may be.

Try to be open and honest with this person about how you have felt. In my experience, that’s the best way to get the most out of these relationships. You might find that you will have to describe the thoughts you’ve had, because not many will know what imposter syndrome is, but I can almost guarantee that they’ve felt it before and they might even thank you for putting a name to it.

Trust your leaders

I’m assuming that you, the reader, got to whatever position you are in now by being formally hired by someone else. That person would have gone through numerous other applicants and decided that you were the best fit for this job.

Staying self-aware and honest about your insecurities means you can plan ahead and have strategies to cope more quickly or avoid these feelings entirely

If you don’t have complete confidence in yourself, take heart in the fact that the person who hired you knows what they are doing, and that you wouldn’t be where you are now if you didn’t possess the skills, or at least the ability to develop the skills, needed to do your job well.

Use anxiety as your incentive to improve

A little bit of anxiety is good for us. It lets us know that the path forward will be challenging, and, in my experience, the things which are challenging are often the most rewarding. If you feel like you don’t have enough knowledge or the skills needed to carry out a task, find ways to learn or practice.

I think you’ll find that not only does the work get easier, but that you’ll doubt yourself a whole lot less. You’re also probably more likely to be noticed as a stand-out employee who looks for self-development opportunities. But this secondary to just getting better at what you do.

Expect imposter syndrome even when you succeed

If you’ve had feelings of imposter syndrome before, then getting a promotion, a new job or getting put onto a new project will probably cause fresh doubts about your abilities. Staying self-aware and honest about your insecurities means you can plan ahead and have strategies to cope more quickly or avoid these feelings entirely. Knowing that you may have these thoughts shouldn’t prevent you from taking chances. Rather, it might be an indication that you have the emotional intelligence to succeed again and again.

I hope these tips are helpful. I like to use them every time I get that nagging feeling, as though someone I’m constantly trying to avoid is standing right behind me. For some of us, imposter syndrome is a life-long struggle, and as far as I can tell, no-one is completely spared its attacks, even those of us who seemingly have no reason to doubt ourselves.

It’s important, therefore, to recognise imposter syndrome as part of being a normal person, and that every normal person needs, every so often, to step outside of their comfort zone, and into a place where they may feel like an imposter. — Cameron Symon

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