You’ve likely heard of Imposter Syndrome, but did you know there are five distinct “Imposter Types?”

Originally thought to be a phenomenon impacting only high-achieve women, research now shows that 70% of people – regardless of gender – experience Imposter Syndrome at some point in time, which at its root is a gap between competence and confidence.

According to Maureen Zappala, a licensed associate, presenter, and coach with the Imposter Syndrome Institute, those types include:

  • The Perfectionist, who believes anything short of perfection is failure – this person always believes they could have done “x” better;
  • The Expert, who must know everything about ___ (e.g., program specifications, definitions, technology) in order to feel successful – yet never finds success because there is always more to learn;
  • The Natural Genius, to whom everything has always come easy – and who then feels like a failure when mastery of a new skill or project takes longer or proves more difficult than expected;
  • The Soloist, who self-doubts their competence if they aren’t able to reach success without asking for help; and
  • The Super Human, who believes the only true competence is derived from doing it all – including being the hardest-working and the highest-achieving, anything short of which is failure.

Recognize yourself in one (or more) of these descriptions?

Fortunately, Zappala tells us while we might naturally hew to one of these sub-types, we have the ability to reframe the emotions and follow-on thoughts associated with them to break free of Imposter Syndrome and achieve greater peace and productivity in our work lives.

The equation to closing the competence gap – and freeing one’s self from constant Imposter Syndrome – involves redefining competence while also elevating our (typically lower) self-assessment.

In the recent Q4 Professional Development Workshop, Zappala led Women in Print Alliance members through an introspective and interactive exercise to successfully say goodbye to Imposter Syndrome.

Women in Print Alliance members may access the recorded on-demand workshop here.

Not a member? Apply to join today and immediately receive on-demand access to this virtual event and other exclusive benefits. Our annual memberships start the day you join and provide a full 12-months of events, educational programming, and networking opportunities.

Women in Print Alliance extends a special thank you to Canon for generously sponsoring the Q4 Professional Development Workshop.