The imposter phenomenon affects virtually every presenter. The belief, that as you wait for your moment in the spotlight, that you don’t deserve this opportunity, that others are more qualified or that everyone knows more about the topic than you do is false, meta-cognition. This is your wrong thinking. We must recognise this ahead of the presentation and address it, to be ready to present on the day.
Seventy per cent of us, whether we identify as male or female, have some form of imposter phenomenon. It is false metacognition, wrong thinking, about self. It is the belief that our success (in whatever we are doubting) is due to something other than our achievement. There are multiple expressions of the phenomenon: perfectionism, hyper-qualification, self-sufficiency, superhuman or obsessive attention to detail to describe but a few. No matter how it is expressed in our own personal external dialogue, nor how we attempt to cover for the wrong thinking, there still exists an ongoing, frequently very loud and impactful, internal dialogue that tells us that we should not be doing this presentation. The belief is that we are an imposter. It is wrong.
The false thinking is the Imposter Syndrome. The pedant in me is clear that a syndrome, by definition, is caused by a single, identifiable factor. The feeling so many of us have before we go on stage, is not a syndrome, precipitated by a single, identifiable cause but by multiple wrong beliefs and behaviours. It is therefore a phenomenon. What is essential in managing this is not to attempt to determine the cause, but to manage its impact. There is no “cure,” only management.
Our “right” to deliver the presentation has been given, determined or even awarded by external sources, not by our singular efffort. The organising committee, the chairman or whatever life force we believe drives the universe has decided that you, flawed and imperfect as you believe yourself to be, should deliver this message, at this time. Your wrong thinking that the invitation is based on error, your good looks or even your connection to a famous scientist is not the reason you were offered the opportunity. They want you to present. Their reasons are unknown to you but in their invitation they have decided that you are enough, on that day, in that place, to deliver the message. Deal with it. That is their choice. Your thinking about that, your meta cognition, is your problem. I know it sounds harsh but the simple fact is this. It is their decision. You need to accept their decision. And deliver.
There is no “cure” for the imposter phenomenon; it is only you that has the doubt. There is external validation from the Organising Committee in making their decision to invite you. Hold onto that as the reason that you are presenting. File your wrong, internal thinking under “error” and trust their process, not your indecision. The only person who thinks you are an imposter is wrong.
For Oliver. You are not an imposter.