Turning Imposter Syndrome into Your Superpower: A Guide for Women Leaders in Male-Dominated Industries
Dear, Brilliant, Powerful, and Achieved One,
You belong exactly where you are. In the role you’ve worked so hard for. Around the table with the other executives and C-level leaders. I know it may not feel like that a lot of the time. But whatever garbage you’re listening to inside your head, it’s just that. Garbage. Rotten bologna. Bullshit, honestly. It’s not real.
I want you to stop doubting your greatness. I want you to stop questioning the worth and value you bring to the boardroom. Even if every other face around that table doesn’t reflect yours, that doesn’t mean you don’t belong.
It’s time to turn your Imposter Syndrome into your superpower.
Now, I’m not going to spend a ton of time defining Imposter Syndrome (IS) because, quite honestly, there are loads of prior posts that dive into defining it, describing the various types of imposters, and talking about where it comes from (specific to the individual, which I call the defining moment or inciting incident).
For the sake of this post, I will summarize IS as this: a psychological pattern where individuals doubt their skills, talents, or accomplishments and have a persistent, internalized fear of being exposed as a "fraud."
You might be experiencing Imposter Syndrome as an obnoxious, nagging, self-deprecating voice that sounds like:
"You're not good enough,"
"You don't belong here,"
"They're going to find out you're a fraud."
And you’re not alone. Far from it.
EVERYONE experiences IS (men included, though this post is about women). It doesn’t matter how we identify or orient to the world. We have all experienced these kinds of internal ideas of inferiority. Even famous and highly accomplished people like Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga, and Margaret Chan have said they feel like an imposter part of the time.
Here’s what else is true: imposter syndrome is a common phenomenon among women leaders in male-dominated industries. Why wouldn’t they?
In a world where women are still far less represented as CEOs of major companies, don’t get paid the same amount for the same roles, and continue to be underrepresented in STEM industries, how can we expect them to NOT wonder if they truly belong (or are deserving) in positions of authority, leadership, or power once they get there. One study showed that 35% of women, compared to 30% of men, suffered from self-doubt in the workplace.
Keep in mind: more women and people of color suffer from imposter syndrome, which is linked to unconscious bias, systemic racism, and discrimination. IS isn’t just an individual’s problem but actually a “collective burden” (as noted in the article linked in this same paragraph).
But here's my twist—and I already said it if you picked up on it—IS doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom. It doesn’t have to be something that only ever holds us back and keeps us stuck.
You can turn IS into your superpower.
Here are eight ways you can turn IS on its head within your role inside a male-dominated industry so that you can shine instead of shrink.
#1 Recognize Imposter Syndrome
Awareness is always the first step to anything, amiright? So, let’s acknowledge those limiting thoughts as IS and agree that it’s okay to think them and even have doubts. In some ways, our limiting beliefs can push us to go further and achieve more. They’re not always a bad thing. In fact, when you’re more familiar with the type of imposter you are, you can see how it’s actually propelled you forward in some ways and not always held you back.
One recent Forbes article pointed out the following benefits of IS:
Improves interpersonal effectiveness
Motivates you to try harder
Encourages problem-solving
Shows you’re challenging yourself
Keeps your ego in check
But that’s the key. We need to recognize the difference between IS helping us and hurting us.
If it’s preventing us or paralyzing us from action or going after the next big thing, then ‘Houston, we have a problem.’ If we leverage IS more as a stepping stone rather than a boulder we can’t get around, we’ll be winning. We can do this by…
#2 Turn Doubt Into Curiosity
Getting curious and having an open mind when we start to hear doubt creep in. Instead of succumbing to “Oh, man, I just can’t… I’m not… I shouldn’t…” and spiraling down with that nasty energy, we could go, “Oh, interesting. I wonder what that [insert internal thought] means?” Looking at your doubts more as clues instead of certainties can be a shift in perspective that can help you see challenges as opportunities for growth rather than threats.
#3 Use Fear as Fuel
Fear is an interesting thing because adrenaline can also mask fear. Sometimes when we know something is right and are excited by it, it can feel like fear. Fear is triggered by that internal working of our mind that is trying to keep us safe. It doesn’t want us to touch fire, jump off a cliff, or try to hug a bear. In this way, fear is great. It has a very important job of keeping us alive. The problem, of course, is that we are often not playing with fire, walking on the edges of cliffs, or trying to cuddle actual bears. So, we must be able to distinguish between real fear and perceived fear. Are we really going to die if we attempt that thing or might we simply feel uncomfortable because it’s something unknown that we’ve never done before?
If we take a look at how many other things we’ve achieved that we’ve never done before, then we have evidence that we’ve survived these prior attempts at trying something new. Fear might be powerful, but it’s up to us to decide if it will paralyze or propel us forward. So, when IS tells us not to do something and strikes fear into our hearts, we must stop and ask ourselves about this threat. Is it a true grizzly bear or a cuddly teddy bear we could easily squeeze if we wanted to. We need to leverage our fear to push ourselves forward beyond our comfort zone, take risks, and strive for excellence.
#4 Build a Support Network
No one ever got anywhere without the help of others. If you take a moment to consider those who helped you get to where you are today, you’ll recognize how many people have been by your side. Even if you haven’t considered this recently, it’s no less true. We can’t do this alone. We need others. Especially other women who have gone before us or those few good men who are allies and advocates for our success in a ‘man’s world’ or industry.
Having a strong support network is crucial. Surround yourself with people who believe in you, who inspire you, and who lift you up. Remember, everyone has experienced those nasty, doubtful thoughts at some point along their journey. There are probably several who sit around the table with you daily who are struggling with the same thing (because we all experience IS), and you just don’t know it. Reach out, connect, and support each other.
#5 Embrace Your Uniqueness
I want you to take a moment to recognize that the fact you’re one of few women in a male-dominated industry makes you *effing badass. Seriously. This alone makes you unique. You bring a different perspective, a different approach, and a different set of skills to the table.
Plus, you have the privilege of having a seat at a table that not many other women have the chance at. You can pave the way for the next generation. That’s the opportunity in front of you. What if instead of getting lost in what you think you might lack and, therefore, why you might not fit in, you start thinking about what you have and what is possible by your being there? Embrace who you are and what you bring, and try to let go of what you perceive you’re missing.
#6 Practice Self-Compassion
None of us are perfect, and we all make mistakes. Whether you share an idea that others don’t get behind or pass up the idea to share all together, whatever it is that you believe is less than your best, forgive yourself and move on. We must be kind to ourselves.
Instead of beating yourself up for every misstep or mishap, practice self-compassion. Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding you'd show to a friend or colleague. The more you befriend yourself, the more you’ll believe in you. And when your belief in yourself grows, so does your confidence and your success.
#7 Celebrate Your Wins & Achievements
This one is huge, and we often forget to do it, overlook it, or don’t even consider it. We get so focused on checking off the items on our list we don’t spend enough time celebrating that we did them or thinking about the positive aspects of how they went or the results we achieved.
One of the reasons we feel like imposters is that we tend to downplay our achievements. So, start celebrating your wins, no matter their size. It’s time to realize your contributions and worth.
#8 Identify The Source of Your Imposter Syndrome
I like to call the source of IS the "Defining Moment"–the moment when something happened and what resulted was your unique flavor of IS. These moments are often not dramatic or traumatic. They’re a critical experience that forever implanted the idea you weren’t good enough. They often happen between the ages of nine to twelve when we experience not fitting in or disappointing someone in authority.
At the moment when the brain experiences an unwanted emotion like shame, embarrassment, or disappointing someone else, it figures out a strategy to make sure that it (YOU) never experiences that emotion again. That equates to making you feel like an imposter or a fraud any time you attempt to repeat ‘said mistake.’
What most of us don’t know is that strategy is really our superpower. It is actually a way of being (we are human beings, after all) that you use all the time to succeed in life. Do you know yours?
Imposter Syndrome is not a sign of inadequacy. A lot of times, it’s a clue, a sign you're pushing beyond your comfort zone and boundaries. Or, in other words, you’re growing. When has growth ever been a bad thing?
The next time that nagging little voice starts to ramp up, give it your thanks, and then let it know it can pipe down. You’ve got this. (And then, of course, employ one of the things I mentioned above.) Choose your commitment to yourself over the crap in your head.
You're more brilliant and powerful than you think. You're not a fraud, a fake, or an imposter. You're a leader. The kind the world needs more of.
So, keep going. Keep being super. Shine your light as you walk in and out of the boardroom. Hold your head high as you speak, and share your genius among the gents. You belong exactly where you are.
Love,
Jen
—
If you’re ready to uncover your defining moment, then join me on August 15th from 4–5 pm EST for "The Empower Hour." I’ll guide you through a visualization exercise to help you dig deep and tap into the inciting incident that’s still driving your thoughts (and, therefore, your actions) today.
