When Great People Feel Like Frauds: Understanding and Tackling Imposter Syndrome at Work

It’s not always easy for people to trust their own minds — particularly when Imposter Syndrome takes hold.

That familiar voice in their head might sound like reason, but it rarely is. It’s the one that says:

“They’ve only asked me to do this because they’re desperate.”

“This promotion must be a mistake.”

“I don’t belong here — and someone’s going to find me out.”

It feels personal, but it’s not. And it's remarkably common. At some point in their working lives, the majority of people will experience this: the creeping belief that they are inadequate, incompetent, or just lucky.

For some, this self-doubt is short-lived. For others, it becomes a persistent undercurrent — eroding confidence and distorting the way they show up at work. And when left unaddressed, it doesn’t just affect individual wellbeing — it impacts communication, decision-making, collaboration, and ultimately performance.

Naming the Pattern

Imposter Syndrome isn’t a medical diagnosis, nor is it a personality flaw. But it is a very convincing internal distortion — often fuelled by a workplace culture that rewards overwork, undervalues rest, or confuses burnout with commitment.

It can be triggered by all sorts of common scenarios:

• High pressure and heavy workloads

• Returning to work after time away (e.g. parental leave, illness)

• Being in an environment where you feel like an outsider

• Working in a culture where feedback is rare or erratic

It’s especially prevalent during life transitions, after a setback, or when someone is navigating change at work or at home.

What to Look Out For

Imposter Syndrome doesn’t always announce itself clearly. In many cases, the signs are subtle — and chalked up to stress or fatigue. But over time, these behaviours become performance and wellbeing risks:

• Reduced participation in meetings or group settings

• Reluctance to apply for roles or take on challenges

• Excessive overworking or difficulty switching off

• Overreaction to feedback or reluctance to ask for help

• Changes in habits (e.g. diet, sleep, substance use, exercise)

Physiologically, the body often responds before the brain catches up. The individual might experience increased heart rate, tension, or the sense of “freezing” under pressure.

What Helps?

Once people recognise these patterns, the next step is building strategies to challenge them.

We teach two simple, evidence-based tools in our session:

• Put Your Thoughts on Trial – identifying and testing the “charges” the inner critic is making

• Be Your Best Friend – responding to yourself as you would to a trusted colleague

Both tools help restore objectivity and reduce the power of that internal imposter. We also explore how to track triggers, gather evidence of strengths, and practise practical, self-directed kindness (the kind that drives performance, not perfectionism).

Why This Matters for Employers

If you have talented people who doubt themselves, stay quiet, or overwork to compensate, it’s worth addressing. Not because it’s about “fixing” them — but because removing this psychological friction enables clarity, confidence, and better decision-making.

This training creates a shared language for naming the issue without shame, and equipping people with straightforward tools to tackle it.

Part of a Bigger Picture

This session is just one of up to 50 different training programmes we design and deliver to help individuals perform at their best — and to create stronger, more resilient teams. Whether you’re looking for short interventions or ongoing development support, we’ll work with you to shape something that fits your needs and culture.