Do I have imposter syndrome?

Despite accolades and accomplishments, many of us can find ourselves sometimes questioning our worth. This phenomenon, known as imposter syndrome, affects many people within our industry. 

It is the nagging feeling of self-doubt, fearfulness of job security and where one believes success is based on good fortune not skill. 

First described in 1978 by psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes, the term was based on their observations of high-achieving professionals who, despite their accomplishments, felt like frauds and doubted their abilities which ultimately adversely affected their roles. Research shows that 82% of us in the UK have these feelings right now!

I recently had the opportunity to discuss this topic with Sami Strutt, the new Education Director at the Bernhard Academy and her belief that building skills and knowledge through continued learning can help to overcome this phenomenon.

Sami reminisced, “A recent situation reminded me of this phenomenon. I had organised a training day and had spoken to this particular turf manager just the week prior. He was extremely excited to be attending, but on the day of the session he did not show. I rang him the day after as I was concerned, only to be told; ‘Sorry, I couldn’t attend, a lorry delivery of topdressing, which should have been delivered last week, had to be re-scheduled for yesterday (the training day), and I needed to remain on site to make sure all went smoothly.’ I asked if his deputy was working, only to be told, ‘Yes, but I wanted to make sure it went in the right place.”

This prompted a discussion between us about the perception of their actions on others and how it exposed some tell-tale signs of negative thoughts and a potentially harmful mindset:

• Shows the club they have a team which is solely reliant on the course manager’s presence, and that the team are helpless without him!
• Lack of trust for his deputy.
• Lack of development for his deputy (at least send the deputy to the training!).
• Demonstrates that his learning and betterment is not as important to him as a simple delivery.
• Builds false affirmation that he is indispensable (this increases his personal stress, which is not healthy for either himself, the team and the club he works for).
• Always being the ‘answer person’ or the ‘go to person’ can become unhealthy and detrimental to well-being, not to mention being damaging to the club if no one else has the answers!
• Unwittingly, these actions perpetuate the belief of indispensability for the next generation.

Sami added, “We all need to build confidence and personal resilience by empowering ourselves through learning new skills. Above all, we need to value and appreciate the time spent on further development so that we can combat negative feelings and thoughts through education and upskilling in its many forms.”

It is a proven fact that building your knowledge and skills (personal and professional) can significantly help reduce the negative feelings of stress and improve wellbeing.

Here are a few ways it can be effective-

• Validation of Competence
  By actively developing and honing your skills, you provide yourself with tangible evidence of your abilities, which can counteract feelings of inadequacy.

• Positive Feedback
  Seeking and receiving constructive feedback. Mentors and colleagues can help you see your strengths more clearly and build confidence in your abilities.

• Continuous Learning
  Engaging in continuous learning and professional development keeps you updated and relevant in your field, which can reduce self-doubt and enhance self-assurance.

• Achievement Recognition
  Documenting and reflecting on your achievements can serve as a reminder of your capabilities and progress, helping to silence the doubts that imposter syndrome often fuels.

• Growth Mindset
  Adopting a growth mindset, where you view challenges and understanding as opportunities to learn and grow, can shift your focus from fearing failure to embracing improvement.

We all recognise that building confidence is a gradual process. As an industry, we must begin to appreciate that time spent learning new skills is vital. Improving our professionalism through education can significantly help manage and reduce the impact of imposter syndrome, increase your wellbeing and bring value to you, your team and the organisation you work for.

It just leaves me to thank Sami for her time and spirited discussion about what can sometimes be a ‘taboo’ subject.