Product Manager — The Imposter Syndrome
Reflecting over the work that I have accomplished over the course of the year, I came to realize that the Imposter Syndrome that I had been feeling had slowly dissipated (though not completely gone) as we (my team and I) continued to deliver features and functionalities incrementally and consistently throughout the year.
It is usual for many of us to have this sense of imbalance between what we perceive of ourselves and what we believe others think of us. This happens to individuals from all types of industries and domains. It affects everyone right from a fresh-out-of-college graduate to even company CEOs.
We regularly find ourselves feeling inadequate about our job roles. It constantly plays out in our minds. This daily tussle slowly saps away the energy that is genuinely required in a Product Manager role as much as any other role.
As a Product Manager, we need huge reserves of energy to continuously engage our stakeholders to develop a product. But, the lurking presence of the sense of imbalance could lead to mental fatigue.
What is Imposter Syndrome?
As per Wikipedia, Impostor syndrome is a psychological pattern in which an individual doubts their skills, talents, or accomplishments and has a persistent internalized fear of being exposed as a “fraud”.
So, basically, it makes you feel that you are wanting of skills required for the job and less able to deliver than your peers.
How did it impact me and my response to it?
Since, I am used to this feeling, I did not allow it to make me helpless. Instead, I used this sense of imbalance to keep myself on my toes and to make myself remain aware of my own gaps and to attempt to take steps to fill them through activities such as listening to different podcasts related to the work that I am doing, and/or taking courses/certifications that would help me to understand the requirements of the job.
I was also fortunate to have an understanding leadership who helped me by providing clear vision and goals for the product development.
How did I make it go away?
Fortunately, or unfortunately, this syndrome and I have been bosom buddies almost throughout my life and I came to an understanding that this might continue to remain with me. And I am okay with that.
Because it does not mean that I am an actual imposter but what it means is that it is just a figment of my own insecurities.
I took steps to harness my insecurities and channel them into what I consider as a productive outcome for me.
To help me with my growth in understanding the different facets of Product Management and Product Ownership, I started listening to different podcasts such as:
- Product Thinking with Melissa Perri
- The Product Podcast from Product School
- Product Management The Journey 0–1–100
- The Product Experience
In between, I took a certification to become a Certified Product Owner and at present, I am undergoing a 12-weeks course on Product Management from Indian School of Business.
Each of us have our own paths to walk and/or conquer. And the steps that I took need not be the same for you. You can use my suggestions to figure out ways to identify the gaps that you might have in your role (it need not even be a Product Management role), and then figure out steps to reduce those gaps.
There is no need to plug all the gaps at the same time and thus create unnecessary pressure on yourself. Instead, take it one at a time and plug them one by one.
This might not make the Syndrome disappear from your lives, but it will allow you to feel more accomplished. The steps you take would also leave you satisfied that you are working to reduce the knowledge and skills deficit that you always intended to bridge.
