VISION & STRATEGY www.ceotodaymagazine.com 50 Jenny Devonshire on Spotting the 5 Imposter Monsters: 1. The Perfectionist Perfectionism is associated with several behaviours such as procrastination, but it is also one of the types of imposter syndrome. Perfectionists are never satisfied with their work as they strive for unrealistically high standards and when they fail to meet them, they experience imposter syndrome – often despite their work being beyond the level expected or required. Signs you are a perfectionist: • You always place high expectations upon yourself. • You’re never satisfied with your work. • Even if a piece of work or presentation does well, you’ll focus on a minor detail you weren’t happy with. • Everything must be the best, anything less than this is a failure. 2. The Natural Genius The Natural Genius believes that people are born talented or skilled, this is called a fixed mindset. The alternative to this has been coined the ‘growth mindset’ by Psychologist Carol Dwek, where individuals believe that their abilities can be developed by hard work and therefore see failures or setbacks as opportunities for growth rather than causing them to give up. Natural Geniuses may compare themselves to others that have been doing the job for a lot longer than them and falsely believe this is a sign that they are not good enough, rather than realising that expertise takes time to develop. Natural Geniuses are also likely to question their abilities in the face of setback. Signs you are a Natural Genius: • You believe people are naturally gifted, skilled or born talented. • You get frustrated easily if you are not instantly proficient at a skill. • You perceive everyone around you as successful whilst believing that you are the only one experiencing failures or difficulties.
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