How to beat imposter syndrome and quit the fraud squad for good

Commonly, it involves the belief that we are "fooling" others into thinking we are competent when we're not, and unfortunately, this belief often crops up even when we are very competent and have achievements under our belt that prove this.

If left unchallenged, imposter syndrome has the potential to handicap us socially, professionally and creatively. It becomes another voice in our head telling us we're not worthy and preventing us from trying new things and letting our light shine.

Possibly because imposter phenomenon was first identified in women, or maybe because it's so pervasive among women in the corporate world, it's largely been seen as something that affects more women than men. This isn't the reality, though.

When Mike Cannon-Brookes finished university and started a company with his friend, Scott Farquar, one of their motivations was avoiding a conventional job. Over the next 15 years, Mike's imposter syndrome grew in line with his company. As Atlassian grew from a two-man start-up to a multi-billion-dollar business, so did Mike's fear of being "found out". In board meetings, Mike would scribble down the acronyms being thrown around so he could look them up online later. He recalls that he felt "like a five-year-old" who was way out of his depth.

When Atlassian was selected to represent Australia at the World Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in Monte Carlo, Mike found himself seated next to the winner from Portugal - a 65-year-old man who owned a company with a 4 billion-euro turnover and 30,000 employees. After talking for a while, Mike confessed to feeling like an imposter in this crowd. He even joked that he and Scott would be sent back to Australia once somebody figured them out.

To his surprise, his Portuguese neighbour said he felt exactly the same way, and added that he suspected all of the other winners in that room did, too. This was a lightbulb moment for the young founder. Imposter syndrome was clearly something that everybody deals with to at least some extent, regardless of how successful they are.

What we know is that imposter syndrome is most likely to strike when someone is stretching themselves in any way and in any field. It might show up when you achieve something you've long been working towards, when you're offered an incredible opportunity or any time you feel remotely out of your depth. Being highly qualified and good at your job doesn't make you immune.

Mike's experience at that awards dinner showed him that he could continue moving forward in life regardless of his challenging and persistent feelings of imposter syndrome, especially if he could learn to harness them in a positive way.

Accepting that imposter syndrome was part and parcel of being out of his depth in some way was his first step. Instead of seeing it as a bad thing and looking for ways to conquer it, he simply became more aware of when imposter syndrome was influencing his emotions and behaviours.

Here are some of the things we can do to help.

By sharing his vulnerable feelings with the man seated next to him, Mike tapped into one of the most effective ways to overcome imposter syndrome: connecting with others. This is a tactic that nearly three-quarters of the executive women who reported feeling imposter syndrome also said they employ. If they find themselves doubting their ability to take on a new role, they look to a mentor or advisor for guidance and reassurance. Women also said having a supportive manager and feeling valued helped them to combat imposter syndrome.

When used in this way, connection can be an antidote to these anxieties, especially when we share our vulnerabilities and give others permission to express theirs. When we remember that most of the people around us are likely feeling the same way, we are better able to look at ourselves more compassionately and treat ourselves with greater kindness.

Our brains are not good at multitasking, and this can work to our advantage when we shift our focus from our feelings of inadequacy to making the people around us feel more at ease. If you feel uncomfortable in a room or situation, it's highly likely that the other people who are with you do too.

Look for clues in their body language. Is anyone avoiding eye contact, lowering their head, speaking quietly or withdrawing into themselves? These are often signs that someone feels out of their element. Consider how you might be able to help that person feel more at ease. If they are a stranger, can you introduce yourself? If they're a colleague or acquaintance, inviting them to sit next to you might be the tiny lifeline they need in this moment. If you're the leader, consider how you can make room for everyone to feel welcome and able to speak up.

Cortnee Vine, a winger for the Sydney Football Club, joined the Matildas during their campaign for the Asian Cup in 2022. In an interview ahead of the Women's 2023 World Cup, she confessed that joining the national team had ignited feelings of imposter syndrome and made her question if she belonged on the squad. Being selected had also added more pressure to perform for Sydney FC.

Vine has developed a few strategies to deal with this increased pressure. One of these is a tattoo on her right middle finger, a Viking symbol that means "create your reality". She has a similar motto on display in her bedroom to keep her grounded in this mindset.

If she finds herself questioning why she is putting herself through these experiences, she strips everything back to its simplest form and returns to why she plays: because she loves it. Another why that motivates Vine is her desire to show young Australian girls that a footballing career is a possibility for them: "If we can encourage young girls to get into football by how we play at this World Cup, that's what I want out of it."