An anonymous reader has written into our Acting Deputy Registrar Annie Yim, looking for some advice! Let’s see what Annie has to say… 

Dear Annie,

I’ve been in my role for two years now and by all accounts I’ve received very positive feedback on my performance from my manager, colleagues and staff partners and I have had some notable achievements. However, I sometimes feel self-doubt and think that there are other individuals that can do the job better. I don’t always feel entirely confident and think that I’ll be “found out”. What advice might you have for me?

From Shannie Blim.

Dear Shannie Blim,

I want to commend you on your self-reflection and vulnerability. You are not alone in how you feel! In fact, I can relate. What you have expressed is classic “Imposter Syndrome” – defined as “the persistent inability to believe that one’s success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one’s own efforts or skills”. Know that many successful and high achieving individuals have felt like an imposter, such as COO of Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg, Starbucks’ executive Howard Schultz, and civil rights activist, author, poet and Nobel Laureate Maya Angelou.

Good news is that there are some strategies that can help counter balance the feelings associated with imposter syndrome. Here are a few that you may want to consider:

  • Celebrate your learnings and successes – Take the time to note, share and celebrate your learnings and successes. The ES Performance Development Conversation Approach can be an avenue to support this practice. Make use of your learning log and share/celebrate your achievements with your manager and/or colleagues.
  • Don’t be afraid of making mistakes – Embrace mistakes as opportunities to gain lessons learned. Mistakes enable us to consider how we may approach things differently and is instrumental in supporting our growth and development.
  • It’s ok to ask for help – You don’t have to know how to do and be an expert on everything. We are surrounded by many knowledgeable and talented colleagues who are more than willing to share their expertise and lend a helping hand. We’re a team, and are in things together. We can leverage the benefit of having a collaborative work environment. In fact, engaging others and gaining diverse perspectives will often lead to more innovative and successful solutions.
  • Fake it until you make it – Consider the fact that “winging it” is a skill in and of itself. It takes courage to take risks and  jump into something that is new or foreign. Being adaptable, learning as you go, and saying “Great question. I’ll get back to you on that” can take you a long way!

Sincerely, Annie