Imposter Syndrome vs. Undercover Agent Syndrome
The Isolation Hut in The Prison Camp
Do you have Imposter Syndrome?
Last week, I was talking on Zoom to someone smart (based in America) who had recently landed a new, demanding and well-paid job in Big Tech.
Helping young and talented professionals like this is one of my favourite assignments because they have so much time in front of them for the gains to compound and multiply.
They told me that they thought they were suffering from Imposter Syndrome.
This is a recurring theme that I hear in my career coaching: Imposter Syndrome is common amongst diligent people doing demanding professional jobs.
Imposter Syndrome is a psychological pattern in which individuals doubt their accomplishments and internalise a persistent fear of being “found out” and exposed as a "fraud."
Despite extensive achievements and evidence of success, such individuals often believe they do not deserve their achievements and are convinced that they are not as competent or intelligent as others perceive them to be.
This feeling of inadequacy is common in many high-achieving individuals, regardless of their profession, gender, or cultural background.
You can call this pop-psychology if you want…but in my experience it’s a real thing.
The first rule of therapy is to listen carefully and validate the feelings of the client…but firstly I’m a financial / career coach, not a therapist.
And secondly, I didn’t think they actually had Imposter Syndrome…so I told them that.
Why would I do that?
Because I thought that what they were struggling with was something slightly different from classic Imposter Syndrome.
My favourite story about Imposter Syndrome was told to me by someone who was previously a partner of one of the Big 6 (now Big 4) global accounting firms.
They, along with all the other partners of The Firm, had been gathered from all over the world in a conference centre auditorium in Chicago.
Imagine 2,000 or so highly paid professionals and owners of The Firm…all sat in a dark auditorium anticipating the set piece speech from the Senior Partner.
They were expecting the normal corporate bullshit talk on targets, 5 year plans, new initiatives from Their Glorious Leader etc etc.
What they got was something very different.
The Senior Partner strode up to the lectern and announced that the planned talk had been cancelled because he had some urgent and important news:
“SOMEONE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE, WE HAVE PERFORMED AN INVESTIGATION AND FOUND THEM OUT“
The room went silent, the atmosphere was electric. You could almost hear 2,000 people simultaneously crapping themselves in fear.
Each of the partners in that room imagined their own worst fears.
Was it the missed revenue targets?
Was it the 360 degree feedback? Was it that ill-advised remark at the office Christmas party? Was it that email that they’d never responded to? Was it that litigous client? Was it the free pencils they had stolen from the stationery cupboard?
Each prepared to be named and shamed and marched out of the room by Security.
The room was filled with Insecure Overachievers…and they all had Imposter Syndrome.
The happy ending to the story was that no one was marched out of the auditorium by burly security guards.
Instead, the Senior Partner switched gears, broke the tension in the room with a laugh and then gave a talk about Imposter Syndrome. Cue massive relief.
The “oh-shit” moment stayed with the partner who told me that story for decades.
Fear is a powerful motivator. I once had a boss who was totally driven by fear and he was a top performer. He once told me that “only the paranoid survive”.
He may have had a point, but it’s a horrible way to live in the long term.
This was not my idea
The term "Imposter Syndrome" was first introduced in 1978 by psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes, who observed the phenomenon among high-achieving women.
They noted that many of these women, despite their academic or professional success, struggled to internalise their accomplishments. They attributed their success to luck and feared being exposed as frauds.
Over time, research has shown that this syndrome can affect individuals across gender, race, and professional fields.
Imposter Syndrome can manifest in several ways including:
Self-Doubt: Despite objective evidence of competence, individuals with Imposter Syndrome consistently doubt their skills and achievements. They may think that they are not worthy of praise or success.
Attributing Success to External Factors: A common thought among those with Imposter Syndrome is that their achievements are a result of luck, connections, or external circumstances rather than their own efforts or intelligence.
Fear of Exposure: The intense fear of being "found out" as a fraud is a hallmark of the syndrome. People who experience this often worry that colleagues, peers, or superiors will discover that they are not as capable as they appear.
Overworking or Over-Preparing: To compensate for their perceived inadequacies, many individuals with Imposter Syndrome may work excessively or over-prepare for tasks to ensure that they meet external expectations. This can lead to burnout or stress.
Perfectionism: People with Imposter Syndrome often have perfectionistic tendencies. They set extremely high standards for themselves and feel crushed by any small mistake, which they take as evidence of their inadequacy.
Discounting Praise: When receiving compliments or recognition, individuals with Imposter Syndrome may dismiss positive feedback, believing that others are simply being nice or do not really understand their "true" abilities.
Imposter Syndrome can lead to chronic stress, anxiety, and even depression.
The internal conflict between perceived incompetence and external recognition can create a sense of isolation.
Individuals may avoid taking risks or trying new things because they feel that any mistake will expose their inadequacies. Furthermore, despite their success, they may experience feelings of guilt or unworthiness, which can erode self-esteem.
Back to my client
But my client had no problem with self-esteem.
They thought they were good enough to do the job (and I’m sure they were right about that).
This was why I said that I didn’t think that they had Imposter Syndrome.
They just felt like they didn’t quite fit into the more extreme aspects of the corporate culture. They didn’t want to work 60, 70, 80 hours per week. For what?
Instead I think they were suffering from something different: Undercover Agent Syndrome (UAS).
Undercover Agent Syndrome is where you are working towards a noble objective (e.g. supporting your family, pursuing financial freedom etc) but you feel out of place in the culture at your workplace.
It’s a bit like being a police informant working undercover in a crime gang. You are pretty sure that you are sane and that the people around you are crazy…but still, it’s not easy to stay sane in an environment like that.
We are social creatures and so it’s super stressful to be in a cult-like environment where everyone else seems to have swallowed the Korporate Propaganda hook, line and sinker.
And when you are working undercover in a crime gang, you are always worried about being found out…and then taken out the back into the alley and shot.
As with Imposter Syndrome, Undercover Agent Syndrome leads to a sense of not completely fitting in.
My client felt a bit isolated for not taking the corporate bullshit mission statement too seriously.
There is a sense of isolation that comes from working in a high end job where everyone else seems to have drunk the Korporate Kool Aid.
It’s a bit like being in Solitary Confinement within The Prison Camp.
Exhibit B: Earlier in my career, I remember attending a “Town Hall” meeting of all-staff of the London office of McKinsey.
The senior partner gave a talk. He said that their 8 year old daughter asked him what he did at work all day (a very good question and not easy to answer).
He said that he told his little girl that everyday at work “he made the world a better place”.
Oh please. Excuse me whilst I puke my guts up.
Little 8 year old Amelia may have bought that bullshit, but I was having none of it.
There’s an old saying that it’s lonely at The Top.
The path to financial freedom will always involve some feeling of isolation.
The First Rule of FI club is that you can’t tell anyone else at your work about FI club. Why would they promote you if you are just waiting in the departure lounge?
Hence the Isolation Cell in The Prison Camp graphic:
If you think that your company does not do any brain-washing or propaganda, there are a few possibilities.
Either you work for a startup, or for a rare corporate exception or they’ve already got you hook, line and sinker. Let’s be careful out there!
Love to everyone
Barney
If you’d like to discuss career coaching or financial coaching, please hit reply or set up an introductory call with me here.