Ep 172 - Low Confidence at Work: The Four Things Killing Yours

Confidence, self-doubt and imposter syndrome are some of the topics you listen to most, and there's a reason we keep coming back to them. In this episode we step back from the individual stories and look at what's driving low confidence at work, because we'd argue it's usually a symptom rather than the problem itself. We walk through four things that quietly erode confidence, from an environment that strips it away to the odd lag that hits when your title changes but you don't feel any different. Most of us are dealing with two or three at once, and that's completely normal. We've also pulled together a playlist of five episodes from the back catalogue, so you can go deeper on the one that fits you best. Key points from this episode Why low confidence is often a symptom, and what it might be pointing to The many ways low confidence shows up, and why so many of us hide it Why you can't build confidence in an environment that strips it from you The identity gap: what happens when your title changes but you don't feel any different Why imposter syndrome so often arrives as a package deal with the others Go deeper: the confidence playlist Listen to the full playlist here Ep 27: Overcoming Self-Doubt: Practical Strategies for Building Confidence at Work Ep 67: The Difference Between Confidence and Self Belief Ep 90: 6 Confidence Myths that Hold Leaders Back Ep 110: Imposter Syndrome with Aoife O'Brien Ep 164: Imposter Syndrome: Why It Gets Worse as You Get More Senior 00:00 Introduction and How the Playlist Works 01:00 Why Low Confidence Is a Symptom, Not the Problem 02:00 How Low Confidence Shows Up 05:00 The Overthinking Cycle 06:00 When Caring What People Think Is Rational, and When It Drains You 08:00 Cause 1: Your Environment 14:30 Cause 2: Finding Something Difficult 18:00 Cause 3: The Identity Gap 23:00 Cause 4: Imposter Syndrome 29:00 Coaching and Imposter Syndrome 30:30 Why Most of Us Have Two or Three Stacked, and Wrap Up Useful Links Connect with Pam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelalangan/ Connect with Jacqui on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqui-jagger/ Follow the Catalyst Careers LinkedIn page for career tips and advice Interested in working with us? Get in touch about career or leadership development, outplacement workshops or recruitment support via the Catalyst Careers website