Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: Three tools for Minoritised Educational Leaders

Also referred to as self-doubt, imposter syndrome can become crippling if not intentionally engaged with it. Confidence-building actions are key to overcoming imposter syndrome.

I suggest taking a different perspective via three realisations:

1. The success of minoritised people in positions of leadership has involved entry into spaces where we have been historically positioned as the imposter – unwanted or unqualified to be present. Your feelings are real and valid but must be addressed.
   
2. Imposter-syndrome-related anxiety is our body supporting our response to a perceived threat – the loss of social stature or rejection from a group. This anxiety can be positively channelled into actions which support our success.
   
3. The preparation borne from the self-doubt and anxiety we have positioned as imposter syndrome, is a part of the self-care that has driven our success and excellence to this point.

What is widely termed imposter syndrome is related to higher anxiety and stress for those who experience it. It is a common experience for young people and adults across the UK and, most specifically, those with marginalised identities (Guardian 2021, Sakulku and Alexander 2011, Executive Development Network).

Research from the Educational Development Network shows that women, black men, and those who identify outside of the gender binary and heterosexual norms have the highest rates of imposter syndrome. This is of no surprise as all those identities have been intentionally excluded from spaces of leadership historically – we have been called imposters and are now considering ourselves imposters, and that needs to change.

Here are three tools to help you challenge your imposter syndrome as an educational leader:

Challenging imposter syndrome

Tool 1 – Three principles to prove you are you

As you enter these spaces, it is important to first establish your principles which define who you are as a leader and who you aspire to be as a leader.

Due to unfamiliarity in the new space, it is easy to feel like an imposter and attempt to imitate those whom you have seen in those places. Without your own principles to guide you, you may default to how people ‘should’ behave in those spaces based on your experiences or people’s stories and mentorship. Unfortunately, this is where you actually become an imposter, and if you fail the act, then you will be exposed in a damaging and hurtful way. Fear of this can be further heightened by the reality of often being the only person with a marginalised identity in the room.

In my career, I dealt with this anxiety by establishing three principles for how I was going to lead. These principles were positioned as questions, and at any point in my work, if I could say yes to each of them, there would be no imposter; it would be all me, and I could move forward. Simultaneously, they allowed me to recognise that I was a valid presence in the space far beyond my labels and identity.

Create your own three principles as you begin your formal journey in leadership to ensure there are no imposters.

Here are three of my principles from my old notebook, written years ago now; these are my guiding compass in my work:

1. Am I attempting to increase diversity, improve equity, create inclusion, and provide justice with my actions?
   
2. Am I attempting to provide opportunities for my community to develop greater skills and knowledge in a safe and secure environment?
   
3. Am I encouraging and supporting an ethos of growth and excellence in those around me?

If I answered no to any of the above – Am I taking intentional steps to correct the scenario and restore any harm caused?

Today, I am an educational leader. When a meeting or action causes me anxiety, when I make a mistake, or when I feel overwhelmed, I refer back to my principles and can be sure that I am still me. I use my principles to ensure that I am doing what I believe is correct and that if I have gone off course, I am taking steps to maintain my principles.

If I can answer yes, yes, yes, and where necessary, yes, then I can be certain of my authenticity.

Your principles are the tools to shine a light on your authentic self, negating the concept that there is an imposter present. Write your principles using words like ‘trying’ or ‘attempting’; we will not succeed every time, and that is okay. Avoid performance principles like ‘Am I checking in with my team 4 times per half-term’ This is the same as, ‘Am I doing my job’. Specific performance indicators are the principles of your contract, not your personal principles. They need to be followed, but what you aim for in fulfilling the principles of your contract is what you express in your personal principles – always keep this in mind.

Tool 2 – Third time the charm

Throughout the journey into leadership, including the first years in leadership roles, you will frequently find yourself doing things for the first time. When doing this in the presence of more experienced peers and the identities traditionally positioned to ‘belong’ to that space, we can often feel out of place, like an imposter.

These first-time experiences may cause feelings of anxiety and self-doubt. Yet, it is critical to remember that people are not naturally competent or excellent. There is no identity which belongs to the space beyond those who want to be there and those who bring about positive change.

You are unlikely to be completely satisfied with how things go in the first instance. We become increasingly competent and excellent with time and intentional effort. Our identities may inform specific challenges, but they do not dictate our outcomes – keep pushing; you’ve got this!

With all new experiences in your journey, allow yourself at least three interventions before any discussion of whether you are able to do the task or not. These interventions will not necessarily occur during your first three attempts and will likely involve the leadership team as a whole. Whether they are supporting you or it is a team activity which requires intervention, working collaboratively – as explored further in the next section – is critical.

Intervention here specifically means a situation or outcome where an immediate change in your approach is necessary to avoid harm or conflict. Such interventions do not always signify a problem with yourself; they often indicate a change in the context and an opportunity to adapt. The dynamic reality of educational leadership means that your approaches will frequently require revisiting and adjustment, as well as gradual shifts and updates to approaches that occur naturally over time.

Ensure that you provide yourself opportunities to reflect and improve after a performance or outcome that you are not content with. This does not mean you have failed, nor does it mean that you are not capable. Be conscious of giving yourself, in collaboration with your team, three opportunities to adjust and improve your approach to situations. When you hear the voice of self-doubt within you, and you feel like an imposter, challenge it with the intentional actions that you take to improve. Let it know – I’m going to handle this; I have learnt from my experience and will approach it differently next time.

Tool 3 – Peer evaluation

The imposter voice of self-doubt is often loudest in our most stressful moments and the quiet periods after those moments. The voice is selfish and skittish. It wants us to itself and does not respond well to the challenges of other voices. Utilise that feature and equip yourself with defences against the imposter voice through the voices of your peers.

At times, we may struggle to muster our voices of resistance against our doubts and anxiety, but leadership is a role undertaken as a team, not as an individual. Even where we may feel our colleagues doubt us, or you may experience identity-based micro-aggressions, be proactive in finding the truth. But of course, in any situation where you feel unsafe or discriminatory treatment, use the relevant pathways to address this concern.

Though a common feature of imposter syndrome is the fear of evaluation, we can flip this fear and use it as a point of empowerment. Actively seek out feedback. Do it frequently, do it intentionally, do it formally, do it informally, and do it often.

From;

‘How do you think that meeting went? Was my tone okay?’

to

‘I’m concerned my classroom teaching has taken a hit. Could you come and observe one of my lessons next week so I can get an external opinion?’

to

‘I would appreciate a performance review meeting to see how things are going.’

Feedback from trusted peers and colleagues can override the imposter voice and signpost genuine areas for growth along with steps to take. Even where we may find it challenging to fully onboard the praise and critique of our peers, the impact it has on quietening the imposter voice is immeasurable.

Even where feedback includes strong critique and requirements for change, identify specific and practical steps to move forward. These intentional actions with encourage growth rather than being dragged down by the vague criticisms of the imposter voice.

Further to this, where you have concerns about the feedback you are receiving and discriminatory responses to your work, proactively seeking feedback can provide clear pathways to identify, evidence, and address these concerns.

Identify your areas for improvement with the help of your team and peers. By actively asking for honest feedback from reliable sources, we can counter the fears of our imposter voice and challenge discriminatory actions. Feedback gives us a clear way to deal with the issues that the imposter voice brings up. Feedback and evaluation are tools for growth, and feedback should be engaged with to make sure it is a source of growth rather than a test of validity.

Defeating the imposter

What approaches will you use to support your journey?

Your journey into and through educational leadership will undoubtedly have challenges, but self-doubt should be nothing but a motivator for sustainable preparation and improvement.

With these tools, it is also important to recognise that educational leadership is not for everyone, and this is not an indicator of failure or inability. Many teachers who enter the space of leadership discover that it is not where their skills are best applied or does not meet the goals of their principles. Be open to this on your journey to ensure you are supporting your true self.

A mentor within your school is excellent is an excellent way to explore honestly, but where applicable, reaching out to peers and mentors outside your school is thoroughly recommended. If the guidance in this article has resonated with you, I would love to speak to you, learn about your aspirations for leadership, and support you in achieving them.

Let us establish who we are and the leader we are working towards being, ensuring that all imposters are kicked out while our true selves remain.