This week we’re talking about Imposters here at Wily Manager, so I thought I’d do a bit of research on great imposters of note to see if there was anything instructional for the occasional manager that finds herself with a case of Imposter Syndrome.
As I researched famous imposters, there were four names that kept coming up:
- Charles Ponzi (after which any crooked finance scheme since has been named).
- Frank Abagnale Jr. (the guy portrayed by Leo Dicaprio in Catch me if You Can)
- Milli Vanilli (the duo who won a Grammy in the 90s, only to be discovered later as lip-syncers
- George Bush Jr. (The 43rd President of the United States)
Most of the managers I’ve talked to who suspect they have a case of Imposter Syndrome are worried because they don’t do stand-up presentations very well. Or maybe they’re put in charge of a department where they don’t have the technical expertise.
When you compare these managerial challenges to the accomplishments of the list above, you don’t have anything to worry about. You’re not even in the same league as these guys. So don’t flatter yourself!
Based on the infamous list above, an imposter is someone who goes out of his way to deceive people; a person who pretends to be someone he is not, and does so with flash. True imposters have an over-abundance of self-confidence – something most managers with Imposter Syndrome do not.
So… if you’re going to be an imposter, do it with some flair. Can you take down a whole country’s economy? Can you start a war? Can you separate old age pensioners from their life’s savings? Can you disgrace an entire industry?
If not, you probably don’t have what it takes to be an imposter, so you’ll have to try to find some other way allow your insecurities to manifest themselves.
If it’s any comfort be aware that everyone has some insecurity. Many years ago when Johnny Carson was the host of the Tonight Show, a heart monitor was put on him to test his anxiety level right before the show started.
As it turns out, even the mighty Carson suffered some anxiety and self-doubt: his heart rate doubled right before the curtain came up.
If Johnny Carson can be a bit nervous, surely you can too. And don’t call me Shirley.