Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Imposter Syndrome-Part Deux

In a previous post, I discovered that I might be suffering from Imposter Syndrome. Since then I have tried to maintain an accurate assessment of my strengths and short comings.

Until today.

Today was my slightly overdue performance appraisal at work. I've been employed here just over a year so essentially I knew it was coming. What I did not foresee was the flattery parade. My supervisor has already discussed my weakness with me (double checking my work- as I am sure the reader's have noticed in my grammatical errors), so the meeting ended up being about all my strong suits. In a nutshell he told me that it is obvious that what I am doing is not something I should be doing long term. In fact, he said that if I am still in this position a year from now he will fire me. Yes, those were his words..."I will fire you". Ouch!

Naturally, I was taken aback by all this praise. These are not the kind of things I hear about me on a daily basis. What it made me realize more than anything is that I have a tendency to sell myself short. Imposter Syndrome or not, I should be reminded that I am a phenomenal woman. And my supervisor shouldn't be the one to remind me...I should!

4 comments:

RunningMom said...

Congratulations on your positive review and be thankful for your supervisor - he sounds like a winner!

Ms. S said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ms. S said...

Congrats again! Your boss is definitely seeking to instill a sense of urgency... it's too easy to become complacent. But because now you know that that he is supportive of you securing another position, perhaps you can become more active in your search.

Bad economy or not, you will find a bigger and better job! =)

Anonymous said...

Good post. Reluctance to accept praise is a common symptom of the impostor syndrome.

We all have "mental rules" that govern how we see ourselves and the world.

The Impostor Syndrome is the feeling that you are not as smart, talented, or skilled as people think you are. It's the feeling that you are a fake and have been getting away with something and are about to be found out. It affects 70% of adults and is especially prevalent in high achieving women.

I've spent the past two decades living with and learning about this common condition.

The Impostor Syndrome is a fascinating topic and the subject of my new book.

http://www.TheImpostorSyndrome.com