If you are a CEO with Imposter syndrome who questions whether you are qualified for your job, that causes a problem with your brand. As a CEO of the organization, imposter syndrome creates added stress that questions your own ability and distracts from the real problems in your organization and solutions to those problems.
CEOs are highly visible. They are expected to stand with confidence and surety on their own. But imposter syndrome creates a feeling of inadequacy and results in fear of exposure.
If you are a CEO who feels ill-equipped to perform, you are not alone. Imposter syndrome is common and affects people in all stages of their careers. Some sources estimate that around 25 to 30 percent of high achievers may suffer from imposter syndrome. The problem is even more prevalent with female executives. A KPMG study finds that 75% of female executives across industries have experienced imposter syndrome in their careers.
How a CEO with Imposter Syndrome Affects a Company’s Brand
The effects of imposter syndrome extend beyond you and your job. They can negatively affect your company’s brand. To understand this better, look at common characteristics from these examples:
Decision-Making
As you are aware, you are highly visible as the CEO and lead decision-maker for your brand. Visibility calls attention to your success and can unleash feelings of imposter syndrome. The voice in your head wants to overlook, discount, and discredit your accomplishments. When these voices cause you to second-guess your decisions, you delay important brand-related decisions that help motivate employees, expand new products or services, reach new markets and limit your company’s growth.
Rely on the company’s vision, mission, and purpose for your decisions. To minimize self-doubt and anxiety in the decisions that involve your brand, remember to let the vision, mission and goals guide you.
Taking Responsibility
Avoidance is another problem with imposter syndrome. When you do not feel you are qualified as a CEO, you might try to avoid certain jobs and duties that you should be doing. This will be dangerous for your company’s brand. Your avoidance will create stagnation in your brand because you do not readily embrace the possibility to try new things.
You cannot keep doing what you perceive as safe because your company performance and personal growth are at stake. You must be able to take calculated risks.
Recognize that you have already shown your abilities at doing the work that is required. You have what it takes! You are given the power as CEO because marketplaces trust you and others trust you with such high responsibility.
There are a few ways to overcome imposter syndrome. One key approach is getting a mentor who has experienced similar situations, achieved your desired level of success and has overcome numerous setbacks.
Strategizing
Many leaders in organizations are responsible for big decisions. Yet, so many question their ability to make these decisions. Such decisions span making strategic decisions, becoming a more innovative company and stepping out at the forefront of technology.
When an experience is new, this increases the feelings of vulnerability, fear and concern. But your vulnerability can create stagnation in your company’s brand if not managed well. You cannot let vulnerability and fear stop you from trying unique and creative strategies that can strengthen your brand and accomplish goals.
What to do to combat vulnerability? Build a culture around communicating vision. Open your channels of communication with employees to increase transparency and connectivity. There will be difficult conversations, but you want to create a culture that is open to possibilities, challenges status quo thinking and leads to solutions.
Problem Solving
As the CEO of your organization, there will be plenty of challenges. You are in a competitive environment that leads to perfectionism. Perfectionism is a trait of imposter syndrome when you set unrealistic expectations. This can lead to goals and objectives for yourself and others that can be unreasonable and unrealistic. Setting too high of an expectation can cause you to question your ability to perform and will actually deflate the performance of your brand.
The key steps to overcome the problem with perfectionism is to invite questions that help break through the defenses, focus on progress, and acknowledge that there is no shame in evolving. Be flexible. Be understanding. Remember, everyone is learning, collaborating, and sharing.
When it comes to your company’s brand, encourage questions that allow everyone the opportunity to understand what you are trying to achieve and be open to hear the questions as well as change how goals can be achieved.
Becoming a Better Leader
A strong brand needs good leadership, not leaders being held hostage to their weakness. But even good leaders can have imposter syndrome. In fact, leaders managing strong brands often encounter this syndrome. As the CEO and leader of your company, you have the ability to combat imposter syndrome by facing it head on and by improving your leadership skills and communication skills.
Contact us today and learn how working with an Executive Coach and Corporate Trainer like Natasha E. Davis will help transform you as a CEO and an Effective Leader.