Making the Most of Impostor Feelings
Many managers suffer from the impostor syndrome: they have attained an esteemed role or position but feel like they do not really deserve to be there. These managers feel like they ended up in their leadership role not because of their merits or achievement but because of some oversight on the part of important others, or due to sheer luck. Therefore, they feel like an “impostor”. These feelings can be detrimental and for instance cause stress, depression, and burnout. On the other hand, feeling like an impostor can also motivate managers to keep working on becoming a better leader.
In this workshop, dr. Sanne Feenstra presents the latest scientific insights into this "syndrome" and discusses its origins, consequences, and solutions. Moreover, participants reflect on their own experiences with feeling like an impostor. By doing so, they learn to embrace the beneficial aspects, and avoid the negative consequences of the impostor syndrome. The workshop can be given in Dutch and English.
“The workshop on the impostor phenomenon was very interesting and insightful. As well gaining a general understanding of the phenomenon we also had a lot of time to exchange experiences. This helps you understand yourself better and makes you realize that (nearly) everyone experiences these feeling”
Aims:
1. Understand and be awareness of the impostor syndrome.
2. Learn the latest scientific insights into the impostor syndrome.
3. Identify and discuss positive and negative consequences of the impostor syndrome.
4. Identify and discuss effective ways in dealing with the impostor syndrome.
5. Build confidence by sharing experiences.
Find out more
Feenstra, S., Begeny, C. T., Ryan, M. K., Rink, F. A., Stoker, J. I., & Jordan, J. (2020). Contextualizing the Impostor “Syndrome”. Frontiers in Psychology, 575024. Link