Overcoming the Fear That Threatens Your Success
When Lúcia and I reflected on our careers in the corporate world, we realized that although we both achieved leadership positions in large organizations with predominantly male cultures, the challenges we encountered were distinct. One of us emphasized the difficulty of navigating an environment devoid of female role models in leadership, while the other, despite working alongside some women leaders, experienced a lack of solidarity and a competitive atmosphere among female colleagues in senior management.
Despite these differing perspectives, both of us grappled with feelings of not belonging, fear of making mistakes, and doubts about our abilities to progress in our careers while maintaining a sustainable balance between professional and personal lives.
To address these challenges, we decided to create a series of five articles exploring key obstacles faced by women in leadership. Our goal is to inspire, inform, and offer practical tips to enhance emotional well-being and foster personal development.
Where Do You Find Yourself?
Have you ever felt uncertain about your abilities or questioned whether you deserve your accomplishments? If so, you might be experiencing imposter syndrome. This phenomenon, as defined by Dr. Pauline Clance (1), is a common experience among high-achieving women. It often leads them to attribute their success to luck or external factors rather than their own skills and efforts. Dr. Clance highlights that these feelings are particularly prevalent in environments where women encounter gender stereotypes.
In this article, we’ll provide actionable tips to help you confront imposter syndrome, recognize and embrace your achievements, and continue advancing in your career with confidence.
What Is Impostor Syndrome?
Dr. Valerie Young (2) describes imposter syndrome as the persistent belief that you are not as intelligent, capable, or qualified as others perceive you to be, even in the face of clear evidence of success. While this feeling affects millions of men and women, women are often more distressed by small mistakes and may interpret constructive criticism as evidence of their shortcomings.
Key Characteristics of Imposter Syndrome:
- Persistent doubts about personal competence, even after clear successes.
- Attributing achievements to luck or external factors.
- Fear of being “found out” as incompetent.
- Intense self-criticism and the constant drive to be perfect.
- Frequent comparison with others.
- Difficulty internalizing success or taking pleasure in achievements.
These thoughts often lead to anxiety, stress, and exhaustion due to the constant need to prove one’s worth. A 2023 study, *The Anatomy of Work* (3), found that approximately 62% of professionals globally experience imposter syndrome, with women in leadership positions being particularly susceptible.
Understanding this phenomenon is the first step toward overcoming it and fully appreciating your accomplishments.
Recognizing Imposter Syndrome
Imposter syndrome stems from various internal and external factors. Dr. Valerie Young identifies certain groups as more susceptible, including:
- Professionals in fast-paced, rapidly evolving fields like IT and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
- First-generation university graduates who may feel out of place due to their backgrounds.
- Individuals from groups facing social stereotypes tied to race, gender, age, disability, language, or socioeconomic status, often feeling pressured to represent their communities.
By understanding these external influences, we can contextualize these feelings and reduce the tendency to internalize inadequacy.
Common Triggers of Imposter Syndrome:
- Fear of being exposed as a fraud.
- Viewing new challenges as opportunities for failure.
- Downplaying achievements and minimizing personal efforts.
- Interpreting mistakes as catastrophic failures.
- Internalizing failure as personal inadequacy and success as mere luck.
- Perfectionism, coupled with an unwillingness to seek help.
- The “expert trap,” where one constantly seeks more knowledge.
- Overworking to compensate for perceived inadequacies.
- Procrastination as a defense mechanism to avoid potential failure.
- Fear of success, making it difficult to enjoy achievements.
How to Address Impostor Syndrome
Acknowledging the signs of impostor syndrome is a critical first step. Understanding its root causes—whether they stem from perfectionism, societal pressures, or self-imposed expectations—can help you develop effective strategies to overcome it.
Coping with impostor syndrome is undoubtedly challenging, but there are practical and effective ways to manage it:
- Recognize your strengths: Take time to identify and appreciate your achievements and unique skills.
- Document your victories: Keep a journal or folder with positive feedback, accomplishments, and moments of pride to revisit during moments of self-doubt.
- Let go of perfectionism: Shift your focus from perfection to progress, embracing growth over unattainable ideals.
- Reframe mistakes as opportunities: View errors as valuable learning experiences rather than evidence of failure.
- Learn to accept praise: Practice receiving compliments and positive feedback with gratitude, rather than dismissing them.
- Embrace insecurity: Understand that occasional self-doubt is normal, even among the most successful leaders.
- Learn from others: Seek guidance, share experiences, and foster collaborative relationships to grow from the perspectives of your peers.
- Set realistic expectations: Accept that progress takes time, and allow yourself the grace of a learning curve.
- Build a support network: Surround yourself with mentors, colleagues, and allies who provide encouragement and constructive feedback.
Conclusion
In this article, we’ve explored the impostor phenomenon and its profound impact on women in leadership. Recognizing that feelings of inadequacy are common and often shaped by external influences can be an empowering realization.
While it’s possible to tackle these challenges independently, seeking the support of a professional coach can accelerate your journey and lead to deeper, more lasting transformations. Change is a gradual process, requiring determination, courage, and commitment. By implementing practical strategies—such as acknowledging your achievements, reframing self-doubt, and relying on a supportive network—you can nurture your well-being and inspire other women to overcome their doubts and thrive in their careers.
Thank you for joining us on this journey of reflection and growth. We look forward to exploring more insights in the next article.
Stay curious!
Rachel Ferreira e Lúcia Antunes
Fronteira Zero | Desenvolvendo Líderes Curiosos
lisbon.client@fronteirazero.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-pires-ferreira-74bb683/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/luciaantunes/
References:
(1) Dra. Pauline Clance, The Impostor Phenomenon: Overcoming the Fear that Haunts your Success
(2) Dra. Valerie Young, The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women
(3) Anatomy of Work 2023 – estudo anual, conduzido pela GlobalWebIndex, que explora os padrões de comportamento de quase 10.000 trabalhadores qualificados em sete países.
About the Authors
Rachel Pires Ferreira
Senior Manager | IT Project Manager | Engineer | Executive Coach
Rachel is a seasoned leader with over 30 years of experience driving transformative change at Accenture and Millenniumbcp, Portugal’s largest privately owned bank. As a certified Executive Coach with a background in industrial engineering and advanced degrees in finance and psychology, she brings technical expertise across finance, marketing, and technology, paired with strong interpersonal skills. Known for her open-mindedness, empathy, curiosity, and strategic insight, Rachel creates inclusive, judgment-free spaces that empower clients and teams to unlock their highest potential. Her nuanced understanding of corporate dynamics and sensitivity to cross-cultural environments make her a trusted guide for individuals and organizations navigating growth and transformation.
Lúcia Antunes
Founder of Fronteira Zero | Executive Coach | Co-Founder of PriG – Instituto Primera Geração
Lúcia is a leader with a proven track record of managing large, high-performing teams, with over 20 years of leadership experience in multinational companies, including serving at the Board of Directors of Maersk Brazil. As the founder of Fronteira Zero, she designs and delivers customized leadership programs that empower executives to unlock their full potential and drive business success. In addition, Lúcia co-founded PriG – Instituto Primeira Geração, a social startup focused on supporting first-generation college graduates as they enter the workforce. Passionate about education and lifelong learning, Lúcia is dedicated to fostering individual growth and creating positive social impact through her work.
