Having worked with imposter syndrome with some clients and having written an earlier blog post, I am really pleased that a short article on Imposter syndrome was published on the Open University OUNews site in response to Michelle Obama’s disclosure of her own experience with imposter syndrome:
I was surprised by how many comments I got from various people who had read it. It is a much bigger problem than people think. Michelle Obama’s acknowledgement of her own struggles empowers people (especially women) to identify the issue in themselves and take some action. My article is based on the rather tongue in cheek point, that it is naming the problem, acknowledging it and then owning it, that disproves the ‘imposter’ status. Real imposters would not dare to blow their own cover by admitting to it.
For sufferers of imposter syndrome, the big take home is that only when this stuff is kept a secret can it do the damage. This is why coaches may be very useful. By working with someone who is independent, and interested in your success it is possible to overcome the paralysing effects and unlock one’s full potential.
Send me an email for a no obligation, friendly discussion.
The Coaching Reflex 