Many female leaders, more than men, suffer from a condition called imposter syndrome. This is a deep-seated subconscious belief, but not an official diagnosis, that they don’t deserve to be successful in life or that they are not as intelligent as they think they are. 

At some point in our lives, data shows that at least 70 percent of us will experience imposter syndrome – that nagging feeling that ‘we are not good enough’ despite clear evidence to the contrary, according to Psychology Today.

Acknowledge your fear, understand it, and then get comfortable existing in a space with it” – Allie Dattilio 

Imposter syndrome can, on the one hand keep us safe from rejection or judgement, but also make us dim our light, play it safe and keep our opinions to ourselves. Societal beliefs about women have also contributed to the way we show up and for many of us, we do not reach our full potential. In many cultures, the man will speak on behalf of his family and very often, women and men, carry this thought process into the boardrooms. Women tend to take on roles that require them to show their nurturing side such as teachers, nurses, administrators etc.

For many years, the tech industry has been dominated by men. For women it may even feel daunting to build a career in this industry. Breaking barriers and beliefs about women is one way we can work towards closing the gender equality and digital gap. Agencies such as UN Women have carried out extensive work in removing barriers to bridge the gap. But it’s just as important for women to look internally and break down their own mental blocks, beliefs and barriers.

The impact of thinking that one is an ‘imposter’ is that it creates a cycle of self-doubt, overthinking and overworking to prove one’s worth. Thinking this way doesn’t mean you’re incapable or inadequate. In fact, it’s a common struggle among high achievers who very often strive for excellence, promotions and financial gain.  They know deep within that they are exceptional at what they do but feel an internal resistance they can’t quite explain. 

Does this sound familiar?

Have you ever doubted your capabilities and thought someone else was smarter than you?

Have you ever wanted to share an idea with your team but bit your tongue and kept quiet?

Have you ever down played your achievements and said you were just ‘lucky’?

Have you ever walked into a room and turned on your heels because you felt less than?

If you said yes to any of the above questions, please know that you are not alone. It is common for women to doubt their capabilities, skills and strengths. They fear being found out or called ‘a fraud’ even if they are highly educated and have many accomplishments behind them.  

So what can we do to help women become stronger tech leaders and lead with confidence, clarity and courage. To help you achieve this, we’ve listed below six points on how to help you overcome imposter syndrome so you can achieve your full potential as a leader:  

Step One: Identify your core self-limiting belief 

Our self-limiting beliefs are often rooted in our childhood experiences and societal influences which leads one to doubt their abilities and skills. An example of a core self-limiting belief is ‘I am not good enough to be a leader in a male dominated industry.’ 

Here are three questions to help you learn more about imposter syndrome and how it can hold you back:

1. When did you start believing that you were a fraud or an imposter in your career?
2. When did you start feeling that you weren’t “enough”? If so, in what way (e.g., not knowledgeable, not talented, not worthy)?
3. Do you think that these beliefs have any basis in fact, or are they assumptions based on fear or insecurity?

Step Two: Create new and positive beliefs about your leadership abilities.

Reframing your self-limiting beliefs into positive ones will help you scale faster in your career. For example, if you currently believe that ‘you’re not good enough’ to work in a male dominated environment, you can flip this into a positive belief. An example is ‘I have the necessary skills and expertise to help me grow in my role and become a great leader for my team.’

Consider how you can reframe your thoughts from self-doubt to unshakeable belief by looking at it from a different perspective. Focus on what you did well and the value you brought to the table. 

Here are three questions for you to reflect on your abilities and skills:

1. What skills, knowledge, or resources did you bring to the situation?
2. How did your actions contribute to the outcome (positive or negative)?
3. What positive feedback or recognition have you received in similar situations?

Step Three: Practice self-compassion to counteract your inner critic.

Without even realising it, your inner critic or possibly the voice of another person who played a big role in your life as a child, lives rent free in your head. It controls your thoughts and actions without you even realising it. It’s important to listen and challenge what your inner voice is saying as well as practice being compassionate towards yourself. The more you lean on your inner sage and intuition, the quicker you will grow in confidence and self-belief of your abilities. 

Here are three questions to help you critically examine and disprove your negative thoughts:

1. What facts or evidence do I have that contradict my imposter thoughts?
2. What are the chances that everyone around me is “faking it” as much as I feel I am?
3. Would I be hard on someone else who had the same thoughts? If not, why should I be so hard on myself?

Step Four: Recognise your past successes to build your credibility. 

This process involves seeking evidence of one’s successes because it has been shown that imposter syndrome thrives on distorted thinking. Imagine going to Court and being asked by the Judge to list your successes. He/she will ask for evidence and you will provide him/her with a list of your past achievements, big or small. By highlighting your strengths, skills and even the lessons you’ve learned along the way, will help you lean into your authority as a leader in your industry.

Here are three questions to help you reflect on your successes:

1. Looking back, how would I rewrite this experience to emphasise my strengths and growth?
2. What did this experience teach me about my abilities and resilience?
3. How can I apply these lessons moving forward?

Step Five: Build a support system 

A popular African proverb is ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together‘. This suggests that we can only go so far on our own. Building a network of women who are already successful and have the same goals will help you grow faster in your career. It will enable you to connect with your peers within your organisation or even externally at networking events where you will receive valuable support and guidance. By also sharing your feelings of self-doubt or fears with people you trust will help you build meaningful connections and foster deeper relationships with them. 

Step Six: Take action every day to foster growth as a leader.

‘The proof is in the pudding’ is another common phrase you can use to track your progress and measure your results. By taking action every day, as you work on your goals, will help you boost your self-confidence, self-worth and stay motivated. You will also raise awareness of your negative self-talk and thoughts and change them into positive words.

An example is when we say to ourselves ‘I can’t work out how the new CRM works which means I will disappoint my team members.’ You can change these words by creating a curious mindset. Instead you can say, ‘What do I need to learn about the CRM which will empower me and enable my team to confidently carry out their tasks?’  

Embedding these six steps into your daily life will help you shift your perspective on how you see yourself. It will help you unlock your full potential, develop a success mindset and create meaningful changes in your personal and professional life.

Your expertise, skills and talents will empower you to become an effective leader, build inclusive and high performing teams and contribute to the organisation’s objectives. 

Meet author, Nazlee Mayhew, Founder of Global Mindset Solutions. She is also a certified Life Coach with the Academy of Modern Psychology, Scotland and a certified Business and Mindset Coach, Money Mindset Coach, NLP Practitioner and Self Love Coach with the Clique Academy, United Kingdom.  She is a Microsoft Lead Trainer for women in digital skills.

She partners with emerging and mid-senior level leaders to help them define their leadership style, identify their strengths and leverage the power of soft skills. She also empowers them to unlock their full potential, develop a success mindset to become effective leaders and build high performing and inclusive teams. 

If you’re interested to learn more about Nazlee’s leadership coaching programs, book a free 30-minute coaching clarity call here: www.calendly.com/nazmayhew or email her at [email protected] to learn more and see if you’re a great fit to work together.