A recent survey conducted with 500 UK business leaders, found that over three quarters (78%) had suffered from this problem. Just over half of all respondents (52%) said it was affecting their ability to lead their business or team, and 59% considered leaving their job because of it.
Perhaps you (or someone you know) have experienced some of these symptoms over the course of your career?
Questioning whether you deserve your leadership position
Nagging worry that you may be exposed as a fraud
Feeling unprepared, overworked or burned out
If so, you’re not alone. The numbers speak for themselves. Almost half of those leaders surveyed (47%) reported imposter syndrome as a current and pressing problem they don’t know how to tackle.
It’s highly likely you will have been doing some or all of the following:
- Avoiding feedback
- Refusing new opportunities
- Putting pressure on yourself (and your team) to deliver perfect results every time
- Procrastinating about putting your ideas forward
- Finding it difficult to speak up or stand your ground in meetings
Why are so many capable leaders feeling stifled in this way, and is there anything we can do to resolve it?
It’s disconnection that causes the documented symptoms of imposter syndrome. The solution is to connect with our SQ, our knowing.
Business leadership demands a high level of brain intelligence (IQ – thinking) coupled with emotional understanding (EQ – feeling). We already know this.
Even with the most finely honed IQ and EQ skills, if SQ (knowing) is not employed, it can easily lead to uncertainty, doubt and anxiety.
There’s a good reason why Forbes magazine quotes intuition (SQ – knowing) as “the highest form of intelligence”. Because it is.
Connecting with and learning how to engage with your SQ in a reliable manner, for practical situations, in business, on a daily basis, at will? It’s like having super-ninja powers.
That’s the solution. It’s a game-changer.
Mel Pledger 
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