Monday, May 13

Pros and Cons of Impostor Syndrome (Part 2)

Table of Contents


Pros

You are constantly striving for self improvement
You are motivated to overcome or mitigate your weaknesses


Cons

Internal Focus - Its not always about you

It’s important to start by focusing on yourself and the actions you can take. However, that’s not where your efforts should end.

After you’ve observed, listened, and adapted—perhaps by using short-term workarounds—you should also look for longer-term solutions. These often require changing your environment, going beyond your direct authority, and using influence and negotiation.


Seeking External Solutions and Validation - Other people don’t always have the answers

It’s good to ask for help, but you should also evaluate the advice you receive using an evidence-based approach.

There’s a lot of bad advice out there. Ask yourself: Is it working for them? and Will it work for me? Remember, people have different strengths and weaknesses—your mileage may vary.

Sometimes, watching what people actually do is more informative than listening to their explanations. Ideally, do both.

You know your problems best. That usually makes you the best person to come up with a solution. This doesn’t mean you must do everything alone. However, taking ownership of the process increases the chances that the final solution will work for you and reflect your needs.


Overcomplicating Things - There is no secret sauce

There are tips and tricks of the trade, but they are not secret. Watch, listen, put in the work, and be patient—you will learn them.

Sometimes the skills you need are ones you already know e.g. ones learned in kindergarten. Sometimes simple solutions work, after all the classics are classic for a reason.

For example, I found that the best way to improve my social skills was simply doing activities I enjoyed with people I liked. (Who knew? My mother did.)


Impatience - Fools rush in

Everything doesn’t have to be fixed right this minute. As long as you are improving, and as long as you have a plan or a strategy for moving forward, that is enough.

Focusing on one area of improvement at a time is usually best.

Watch, listen, plan—then leap.


Boom and Bust - Slow and steady wins the race

Using a tight deadline to motivate yourself to complete a task that you lack confidence in, (or your instincts are warning you against) can sometimes help. However it can also lead to

  • Increased risk of failure,
  • More errors, 
  • Burnout, 
  • Lost opportunities.

Just powering through is not always the answer. If there is something blocking or interfering with your success, you should do something about it.

If your instincts are warning you against doing something, listen to your instincts. What you’re being asked to do may be 

  • Counterproductive
  • Could be achieved in a simpler way           
  • Could be achieved in a way that is a more natural fit to your strengths and talents.

Working longer hours to compensate for perceived weaknesses can lead to burnout. It also doesn’t solve the real issue. Remember: Productivity means achieving more in the same amount of time—not the same by working longer.

Monitor and manage your stress levels and your general health.

Monitor and manage your stress and health. Sacrificing long-term capacity for short-term gains is rarely a winning strategy.

Overly Cautious Analysis Paralysis

Analysis Paralysis 

Perfect is the enemy of the good. Even a wrong answer gives you a starting point to find the right one.

Learn to recognize when you’re spinning your wheels—and ask for help.


Not Speaking Up

If problems are not discussed, they are unlikely to be resolved.


Avoiding Challenging Situations

You may avoid tasks where you might shine, due to lack of confidence. This can be damaging to both you, and your team as your potential contribution is lost.


Catastrophising - The sky is falling

DON’T PANIC 

Take a deep breath


Talk to your co-workers about your concerns. Ask for help.

Mitigate risks where the benefits outweigh the costs. 

Also consider: Are there opportunities hidden within the threats?


Focusing on Shoring Up Weaknesses Instead of Playing to Strengths

People work in teams for a reason. In effective teams, members cover each other’s weaknesses and amplify each other’s strengths.

That means you can—and should—delegate tasks to those better suited for them. Focus your energy on tasks where you have an advantage.


Conclusion

While impostor syndrome can drive personal growth and self-awareness, the downsides often outweigh the benefits.


Resources

Books

All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten

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Reasons for Impostor Syndrome (Part 1)

Reasons for Impostor Syndrome

T able of Contents



T riggers

  • Being outside your comfort zone or trying something new
  • Lacking psychological safety and feeling unable to show vulnerability
  • Being haunted by past trauma and having learned the wrong lessons from previous experiences


New Role

If you’re nervous about diving into something new check out my onboardee’s checklist.


Choice Paralysis

Constant Change

One of the challenges of working in the software industry is the need for constant learning. There are always new languages, new platforms, new frameworks and new subject matter domains with new jargon. Even if you stick with the same technologies and the same industry, the technologies release new versions and the industry evolves as the environment changes. You are always doing things you have never done before. You are continually pushed outside of your comfort zone.



Vulnerability

Fake It Till You Make It

We are told it is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt. This is baked straight into our school system. If we struggle then we are supposed to just work harder and bulldoze our way through.

However keeping quiet, means that you do not ask for help that you need or warn of problems that you notice. You may be setting yourself up for failure as underlying issues are not addressed and therefore worsen over time, leading to an eventual reckoning.


Psychological Safety

Sometimes You Aren't Safe

Unfortunately sometimes you are not imagining it. You feel unsafe because your work environment is in fact not safe.

In which case you need to change your workplace or change your workplace. Don’t let it slide, your workplace culture is unlikely to improve by itself. A bad culture is stressful and counterproductive. Your team, your project and the company itself is more likely to fail, as problems do not get addressed, as it is unsafe to admit that they even exist.

Some people have the unfortunate habit that of asking questions where they make it clear that there is only one acceptable answer, or showing no curiosity in a different viewpoint. This kills honest communication.



Generals

Past Trauma

I once mentored a colleague on how to present technical changes in terms of business value. They were hesitant to bring up certain points because of harsh feedback they'd received in the past.

I pointed out that, that was a different company, and a different workplace culture, different manager and they had not used a strategy of emphasising business benefits.

Sometimes we overgeneralise feedback and the wrong lessons are learned. A cat that has been burnt will not sit on a hot stove again, but neither will they sit on a cold one.


Effects of Impostor Syndrome

The Effects of Impostor Syndrome

This is increased stress and erosion of confidence.

Stress affects productivity and learning in a U-shaped pattern:

  • Too little stress leads to complacency.

  • Too much stress causes panic, paralysis, and unproductive behavior.

Some people see impostor syndrome as helpful when it pushes them out of complacency and into a state of motivating eustress. Stepping outside your comfort zone can be an opportunity for growth.

Others highlight its harmful effects when it moves beyond motivating eustress into debilitating distress.


Conclusion

When lack of confidence is warranted it can lead to avoidance of risky or dangerous behaviour. And can motivate people to ask for help.

When lack of confidence is not warranted it can lead to avoidance of opportunities and the very experiences and practices that can improve those abilities. It can motivate people to hide the fact that they need help.


Resources

Related Posts

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