An overview of the Imposter Cycle and recognising the impact of Imposter Syndrome in ourselves, our workplace and in others by Kaarin Goeldner, RN, MACN, ENL.
Imposter Syndrome is an insidious and unproductive feeling of phoniness and unworthiness amongst people. Even highly motivated people sometimes don’t believe the credit that comes their way. Almost everyone has experienced self-doubt, or one of the four feelings associated with Imposter Syndrome which are:
- Anxiety
- Perfectionism
- Self-doubt
- Fear of failure
This presentation outlines Imposter Syndrome and how it works. It aims to identify ways to moderate Imposter Syndrome within ourselves and to help others to do the same. Subjects discussed include:
- Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale (Clance & Imes, 1978)
- Differences between actual imposters, imposter feelings and Imposter Syndrome
- The Imposter Cycle and how it affects you (Kearns, 2015)
- What about the others? The Dunning-Kruger Effect (Dunning, 2011)
- How does it start?
- What is the cost? Coping mechanisms and the impact on workplace.
- How can we stop it? Recognising symptoms in others and proven strategies that work.
References
Clance, P. R., & Imes, S. A. (1978). The imposter phenomenon in high achieving women: Dynamics and therapeutic intervention. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice, 15(3), 241–247. doi:10.1037/h0086006
Dunning, D. (2011). The Dunning–Kruger effect: On being ignorant of one’s own ignorance. In Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 44, pp. 247-296). Academic Press.
Kearns, H. (2015) The Imposter Syndrome: Why Successful People Often Feel Like Frauds. Adelaide, S.A.: ThinkWell.
Plohl, N. & Musil, B. (2018). Do I Know as Much as I Think I Do? The Dunning-Kruger Effect, Overclaiming, and the Illusion of Knowledge. PsihološkaObzorja27, 20–30. doi:10.20419/2018.27.481.
Robinson-Walker, C. (2011). The Imposter Syndrome. Nurse Leader 9(4), 12-13. doi:10.1016/j.mnl.2011.05.003
Yosai, E. (2018) Facing Up to Imposter Syndrome. National Association of School Psychologists. Communique 47(4), 26–26. http://search.proquest.com/docview/2210917384/.
Young, V. (2013). The secret thoughts of successful women. New York: Crown Business.
