Could Imposter Syndrome Be The Discomfort Of Growth?

Imposter syndrome can come from:

• Being a beginner again.

• Leaving a role where you felt competent.

• Higher visibility and fear of mistakes.

• Comparing yourself to seasoned leaders.

• Believing confidence should come first.

Leadership often requires doing new things before feeling ready, such as operating at a higher level, making decisions with incomplete information, and becoming more visible to those above you in the hierarchy.

Sometimes what feels like inadequacy is actually expansion.

Growth rarely feels graceful. It often feels awkward, uncertain and exposed.

Many capable people interpret those impressions as proof they do not belong, when often they are evidence that growth is happening.

The remedy is not waiting for certainty. Consider the following:

• Name that you're a beginner when it makes sense.

• Measure progress, not perfection.

• Practice before confidence arrives.

If you are experiencing imposter syndrome, you may simply be in the awkward stage of expansion.

Where might growth be misunderstood as fraud?