Imposter syndrome

[Ian H]

Do I even qualify as an imposter I wonder ? If I do, it’s as an unsuccessful one. Is that an oxymoron ?

I don't think anyone has mentioned the Peter Principle.
...a concept in management developed by Laurence J. Peter which observes that people in a hierarchy tend to rise to "a level of respective incompetence": employees are promoted based on their success in previous jobs until they reach a level at which they are no longer competent, as skills in one job do not necessarily translate to another [wiki]

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

I don't think anyone has mentioned the Peter Principle.
...a concept in management developed by Laurence J. Peter which observes that people in a hierarchy tend to rise to "a level of respective incompetence": employees are promoted based on their success in previous jobs until they reach a level at which they are no longer competent, as skills in one job do not necessarily translate to another [wiki]

In my previous job the head of department was in no doubt a Peter Principal candidate. That was one of two primary drivers behind me leaving.

 

[richardfm]

In my previous job the head of department was in no doubt a Peter Principal candidate. That was one of two primary drivers behind me leaving.

Like a Director of IT we had at one place I used to work. It was said that he knew nothing about IT and couldn't direct

 

[Pblakeney]

I was recently in a training session for those looking to move to even higher levels in their career. One of the first tasks was to explain why you were attending the training and what you hoped to get out of it. Due to where they started in the room I was one of the last to answer the question.

Truthfully I said I wanted to validate where I had reached already an, once I had that, the confidence to go further and was the first to raise the topic of imposter syndrome. Once I had, over half the room ack that you be in there mind too.

How common is it really?

Incredibly common, but very few speak of it.
It is an unspoken truth that everybody is simply blagging their way through life. Some simply hide it better than others.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Not unusual, I'd say. I have to deal with it a fair bit.

According to the Dunning-Krüger effect, however, that may be a good sign.

 

[Alex321]

Imposter syndrome is just a negative spin on humility?

No, not the same thing at all.

Humility is when you downplay you ability/achievements externally.

Imposter syndrome is when you don't believe internally that you are good enough, but put a front on to hide that.

 

[Alex321]

I don't think anyone has mentioned the Peter Principle.
...a concept in management developed by Laurence J. Peter which observes that people in a hierarchy tend to rise to "a level of respective incompetence": employees are promoted based on their success in previous jobs until they reach a level at which they are no longer competent, as skills in one job do not necessarily translate to another [wiki]

That is why I have never looked for promotion. I have always been a "techie" sort of guy, always a programmer/analyst programmer/data engineer or whatever the term of the day has been.

I always knew I didn't have the people skills to move up into a people management role, and if I had been promoted, it would not have been good for either me, or the people working for me.

 

[gbb]

Imposter syndrome i assume thats doubting ones ability (usually) in the work environment ?
Surely as part of a team, some of whom are doing the same job, there will inevitably be variation in skill. Those with less skill i suppose might feel they're experiencing 'imposter syndrome' ....but from my experience as a maintenance tech with the LEAST qualifications among colleagues with very extensive and serious quals, I certainly didn't feel inadequate. I had a wealth of specific experience that required far more qualified people to come to me for advice. At the other end, they were capable of far far wider ranging tasks than I ever could.

So was i inadequate ?, an imposter ? No, I simply recognised my skills etc, my limitations...but also my strengths.

Surely feeling imposter syndrome is a state of mind,

Far better to acknowledge your weaknesses and strengths, don't be afraid to admit your weaknesses, no one ever criticised me for things I couldn't do, rather happily used my experience and took advice for the stuff I did know. I know I was never ever afraid to ask for help or advice.

If you work in a good team that work together, no need for anyone to feel it IME.

 

[CentralCommuter]

Surely feeling imposter syndrome is a state of mind,

What else could it be?

 

[tyred]

I definitely do think I do suffer from it. I've basically gone to every job I've ever had expecting to be found out and fired. I've been nine years with my current company and feel I have no idea what I'm doing each day. My outgoing manager gave me an unbelievably good review for last year, (delivered to me by one of the temporary replacements we had early in the year) and I was just sitting thinking he's only saying this to be nice!

 

[Gillstay]

And why they are all still practicing? 😁

Hardly with the rate they are leaving the NHS.

 

[DaveReading]

What else could it be?

Like the old joke: "Don't worry that you have an inferiority complex - it's all in the mind"

 

[briantrumpet]

I definitely do think I do suffer from it. I've basically gone to every job I've ever had expecting to be found out and fired. I've been nine years with my current company and feel I have no idea what I'm doing each day. My outgoing manager gave me an unbelievably good review for last year, (delivered to me by one of the temporary replacements we had early in the year) and I was just sitting thinking he's only saying this to be nice!

Re your posts in the other thread, it does sound like you have very portable and valuable skills, if your current manager isn't making you feel appreciated. I suspect that your self-doubt is what makes you good. I'm much more likely to trust someone who expresses doubt rather than unqualified confidence. Twenty-odd years ago I expressed my doubts about the extent of my abilities for a particular role, and my line manager told me why my other strengths vastly outweighed the area that I had doubts about, and I'm still in post, with a few awards for the organisation along the way.

 

[Pblakeney]

Imposter syndrome i assume thats doubting ones ability (usually) in the work environment ?
Surely as part of a team, some of whom are doing the same job, there will inevitably be variation in skill. Those with less skill i suppose might feel they're experiencing 'imposter syndrome' ....but from my experience as a maintenance tech with the LEAST qualifications among colleagues with very extensive and serious quals, I certainly didn't feel inadequate. I had a wealth of specific experience that required far more qualified people to come to me for advice. At the other end, they were capable of far far wider ranging tasks than I ever could.

So was i inadequate ?, an imposter ? No, I simply recognised my skills etc, my limitations...but also my strengths.

Surely feeling imposter syndrome is a state of mind,

Far better to acknowledge your weaknesses and strengths, don't be afraid to admit your weaknesses, no one ever criticised me for things I couldn't do, rather happily used my experience and took advice for the stuff I did know. I know I was never ever afraid to ask for help or advice.

If you work in a good team that work together, no need for anyone to feel it IME.

Qualifications ≠ Competence.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I've drifted aimlessly through my career and unaccountably people have occasionally let me do interesting and (even more rarely) important things. I don't know why.

I remember sitting on the train on the way in to one job (possibly my favourite job) thinking "I can't believe they've let me loose to play with this stuff, I don't have a clue what I'm doing".

I became the acknowledged expert on a rather niche subject at that place. And why was I the expert? Because I had a long commute and spent my train journeys reading up on it and discovered that it was nowhere near as hard as everyone thought (I kept that to myself though).

I think this could be Dunning-Kruger in action: You're assuming that because you understand the manuals with ease, anyone can. I've seen this a lot: people who are naturally good photographers, dancers or mechanics, who assume that because they can do it, it is therefore "easy" and undervalue their abilities.

I am none of the above, and also would likely not understand the subject you became expert in.

It took me a while to realise that I have an innate ability to teach and train people, especially people with mental or psychological issues, and not everyone can do this. In the coming months, I'm teaming up with a good friend to give seminars in this subject, and I'll have to keep reminding myself that I do know what I'm talking about...