Although the "imposter syndrome" encountered in the work process and real professional incompetence create seemingly similar feelings, their solutions are different.
Russian business psychologist Oksana Panina clarified this topic in an interview with the publication "Izvestia".
The expert notes that it is wrong to think that the "imposter syndrome" always stems from failure. Sometimes employees may not be able to perform tasks, yet they do not doubt their abilities. However, professional personnel continue to experience internal tension and doubt even after achieving great success.
According to the psychologist, distinguishing the difference between psychological discomfort and real incompetence is of great importance. Depending on the situation, a person should either boost their self-confidence or reconsider their current career development.
"As the professionalism and experience of personnel increase, the questions they ask themselves also multiply. There is a simple explanation for this paradoxical situation: a person who accumulates great experience gets used to their successes and takes them as a norm. Although the level they have reached becomes a norm for themselves, for others it is considered a high peak. For this reason, strong personnel underestimate the results they have achieved and approach themselves and their work successes non-objectively," emphasized Oksana Panina.
At the same time, there are specific signs indicating that the employee is not suited to the position. Repeated mistakes despite training, constant negative feedback, and shifting tasks to other employees should be taken as serious warning signals. The psychologist points out that this is a silent but clear indication of upcoming changes.
According to the expert, the moment you feel lack of enthusiasm for work, emotional burnout, or halted development, it is necessary to think about changing the profession. She states that most people cannot leave their familiar workplace because of the fear of novelty. To make a correct decision, it is essential to objectively assess what interest and satisfaction staying in the current job or moving to a different field will bring./oxu.az