70% Of Us Experience It
A couple of years ago, I walked into my boss’s office to congratulate him the day after he won the Most Valuable Player or MVP award which goes to a handful who contribute above and beyond their jobs’ requirements. The conversation was an exchange of usual pleasantries except for the part where I insisted that it’s him who made the team look good. In hindsight, that statement seems meaningless. It is not him who made the team look good, it is the team’s good work that brought the attention he got. The unfortunate truth is that the behaviour I exhibited is so common in the modern corporate culture that it has been elevated to the status of normalcy. Individual achievements are generally attributed to the team’s achievements. This culture has its benefits for the organisation which tries to dampen individualism and amplify cultural uniformity, but at the same time, it creates a culture where Imposter Syndrome is widely accepted as the norm and therein lies the problem.
According to studies, about 70% of us experience Imposter Syndrome at some point in our career. That number to me seemed significantly higher than I would have guessed based on no real data. So, I had to spend some time on the internet to gather up more information on what really consists of the said syndrome.
Apparently, my knowledge on this issue, like many other is thoroughly limited. According to this Time article there are five different kinds of people all of who exhibit the syndrome in different ways. Only one of which covers last week’s post as well as the incident I talked about at the opening of the post. It’s an informational read, and I will let you dive into the juicy details and judge for yourself how prevalent these types of behaviours are or how often we meet someone who would display such behaviour.
The information was overwhelming. But I am sure every issue or condition I try to study will leave me with the exact same feeling — an overwhelming sense of smallness that cast long and dark shadows on everything else that is positive; a realization that we understand ourselves so little that the lack of knowledge may one day be the cause of our demise. Focusing back to the subject at hand, among the different manifestations of the concerned condition, the theme that stood out was that the effects, in any setup, are detrimental to the person and the people around.
At one extreme of the spectrum, a student who is still building her life could feel the urge to be the perfectionist. In spite of the rigorous preparation, she may feel inadequate and consequently, sense the much-needed confidence in her ability ebb away with every passing moment leading up to the exam. To an overachiever, everything they do may seem like a pretence to win the approval of the people around. Alternatively, to an average Joe who feels requiring help in anything he does is a proof that he is an imposter. To him, every little piece of work may seem akin to climbing the Mt. Everest. On the other extreme of the spectrum, someone like Maya Angelou whose life had been a endless episode of spectacular accomplishments, the pang of doubt and fear every step of the way takes away the ability to enjoy those very achievements. Statistically speaking, Imposter Syndrome, in some form or shape, could affect people from all walks of life and at any stage of their life.
Knowing the effects is one thing, and it is essential, however, knowing the symptoms, in my opinion, is much more empowering.
Only a short search away lies the pitfall of the internet. Everyone is an expert, and everyone has a solution for the problems most of them don’t even understand. My revulsion towards those who think can solve all the problem in this planet is about the same as that towards a cockroach living in the sewage system. However, the same internet serves as a conduit to the information we need to educate ourselves and raise awareness. And as it is with all issues, the more aware we are, the more equipped we are to make an intelligent judgement of any situation that is a consequence of such behaviour even if it is our own creation. So, here I am trying to do my part.
Read the other part of this Duolog(ue).
I Am Worthy
How do you feel if you could hear Mary Angelou think “uh oh! They are going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they are going to find me out”, or Albert Einstein say “The exaggerated esteem in which my life’s work is held makes me feel ill at ease” or Meryl Streep wonder “Why would anyone want to see me in a movie again?”
