Clare Josa | Author And Keynote Speaker

UK's Foremost Imposter Syndrome Expert, International Keynote Speaker & 8x Author

soultuitive leadership

Performance Review Anxiety? Your Boss Might Be Dreading It, Too!

Soul Led Leaders

Performance review anxiety is as much a part of the December season as mince pies and dodgy Christmas songs. But it doesn't have to be that way. Find out what makes it worse - and a top tip for handling it.

Do you have your annual performance review coming up? Dreading it? You're not alone. Your boss might be, too!

Did you know that over 95% of line managers have never had training in how to run annual appraisals (beyond reading internal policies and procedures) so that they become an effective tool for personal development and performance growth? And most HR teams haven't had training in this either, 

This means that far too many leaders are still relying on harmful, out-dated concepts like the 💩 sandwich, or implementing flawed company policies like everyone needing to have some negative feedback, to improve.

Our research also shows that the vast majority of line managers find the process stressful, and worry that they are getting it wrong, potentially causing harm. And if those line managers are running Imposter Syndrome themselves, this makes them worry even more, projecting their inner pain onto team members, accidentally making the appraisal process more stressful for everyone.

Line managers get performance review anxiety, too.

For 72% of recipients of feedback, it triggers stress and worry. That figure is nearly 100% for those running Imposter Syndrome (nearly two thirds of your team members at the moment)...

*** even if the feedback is positive ***

I define Imposter Syndrome as "the secret fear of others judging us the way we judge ourselves." 

Those running Imposter Syndrome are subconsciously putting a lot of energy into criticising themselves, and are scared others are criticising them, too. So you can imagine how this kicks off performance review anxiety in a big way.

Even positive feedback is a problem for someone running Imposter Syndrome, because 71% of people are waiting for the 'but', listing options for this in their heads, instead of accepting the praise. For 46% they'll actually say the 'but' out loud. And with 51% of people, they take 'constructive criticism' really personally and put a lot of energy into worrying about it.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't give feedback to those running Imposter Syndrome. But it does mean you need to know how to do this in the right way, and safely.

Done the wrong way, feedback - especially 'constructive criticism' can be harmful.

But there are ways to give 'constructive criticism' that don't actually involve any 'criticism', which are proven to improve performance, leaving the recipient feeling confident and inspired.

It's why I offer consulting for organisations on this, helping them to Imposter-Syndrome-proof their performance review processes and offering training to both line managers and their direct reports. Let me know if you'd like to talk about working together on this.

It might too late for this year's reviews. But actually the best time to start this work is in January - performance reviews should never be an end-of-year surprise.

Ditching Imposter Syndrome

What Can You Do About Performance Review Anxiety?

74% of people in our research said they find the weeks leading up to their annual review really stressful. 

And if that includes you, and you're experiencing performance review anxiety, I've got a gift for you:

It's a breathing technique that helps you to get grounded and to reduce worry in under sixty seconds - you can listen to an audio to guide you through it here.

For next year, techniques like celebrating your #microwins daily and clearing out Imposter Syndrome can make a big difference. Ditching Imposter Syndrome guides you through exactly how to do that, and you can get your copy here.

In a time when 23% of employees in the UK are thinking about quitting their job due to stress, burnout or Imposter Syndrome every single week, and leave-of-absence / sabbatical requests are at an all-time high, the way we run annual reviews needs to change. We need to look at the three pillars that create thriving teams - culture, environment and performance, and train managers to give performance feedback in ways that are proven to empower and inspire. Here's where to book a call to talk about working together on this next year.

But if your appraisal is in the next couple of weeks, you won't have time for that. So here are some quick tips:


Three Top Tips For Line Managers To Reduce Performance Review Anxiety

  • Remember that the unconscious mind can't process a negative. Don't talk about what you *don't* want someone to do, talk about what you *do* want them to do, instead. Mental rehearsal and neuroscience mean that talking about what you don't want someone to do actually increases the likelihood of them doing it.
  • Be specific, not vague. This is especially important if you're giving positive feedback to someone running Imposter Syndrome. If you are specific about a time when you observed that behaviour, your praise is more likely to get through that person's brain's filter.
  • Manage your own emotional state. If you're stressed or worried about the feedback you're giving, make sure you're not projecting that on to your team member. Get grounded and make sure your intention is truly positive, not fear-based.

Three Top Tips For Employees To Reduce Performance Review Anxiety

  • It's not about who you are. When we're running Imposter Syndrome, we've hard-wired our brain to take things personally. So feedback about our behaviours, say, presentation skills, becomes internalised as "I'm a rubbish presenter." Feedback isn't about who you are, it's about what you do. And that's much easier to change.
  • "All criticism is borne of someone else's pain." If your line manager is criticising you, it's giving you direct insights into how they talk to themselves. It's their inner critic you're listening to.
  • Put that feedback through the woolly jumper test. Here's a podcast episode that guides you through this. Remember: just because your line manager gives you feedback, it doesn't mean you have to believe it! Try it on for size to see if it fits, first.

And if you're on the receiving end of a performance review, remember, this is your chance to ask your manager for the personal development training you deserve!

If ditching Imposter Syndrome is a priority for you in the coming year, you can ask your company to fund your place on the Imposter Syndrome Bootcamp. Details are here: https://www.clarejosa.com/impostersyndromebootcamp/

And if you want to know your Imposter Syndrome score (plus get a personalised action plan) so you've got something to wave under your manager's nose to back up your request, here's where to take my free science-backed Imposter Syndrome scorecard:

https://www.clarejosa.com/quiz/


Here's where to book a call to discuss working together on this.

Who In Your Team Is Worried They’re The Weakest Link?

Soul Led Leaders

"Every team has someone who is the weakest link."

Back in my Six Sigma engineering days, the work I was doing to fix emergency quality problems in the factory regularly meant stopping the production line - which cost $2,000 per minute. [You read that right.]

So when we were fixing problems, we always looked for the weakest link in the process first, a quick win, to buy us time to find and fix the real root cause.

And I had an experience of this this week.

On Sunday night, a fox got all of our chickens. First time in ten years.

We're gutted. We're vegetarian, so our 'girls' were there to de-slug the veg patch, lay the occasional egg (they were older, ex-battery hens) and provide us with on-tap mindfulness meditations, watching them forage their way through the day.

They were in a huge run with fox-proof fencing dug down 60cm, and 2m high deer fencing, to keep them safe.

So how did the fox get in?

We've always known that the weakest link is the gate...

... or rather, a human remembering to close the gate.

And the gate got left open by one of us on Sunday evening - we got distracted by busyness and stress.

In teams, there's often someone who is considered to be the 'weakest link' - the one who gets stressed, the one who struggles to get everything done, the one who isn't fulfilling their potential, the one who doesn't speak up with their ideas, who worries about things and misses deadlines.

But here's a thought:


What if they're not 'weak'? What if, in fact, the problem is that they've been strong for too long?


So often in these situations, that person is, in fact, really struggling with burnout or Imposter Syndrome. They're not weak. They've been too strong for too long, trying to push on through the fear and exhaustion.

Pretty much every coping strategy ever invented to 'handle' Imposter Syndrome or burnout makes them worse (which is why I don't teach them).

So the person who is struggling is actually working harder than everyone else, but getting less impressive results. There are neuroscience and physiological reasons for why this impacts their performance.

What if they're secretly lying awake at 3am, worrying that they'll be 'found out' as 'not good enough'? [aka Imposter Syndrome]

What if they're feeling too emotionally, mentally and physically exhausted to think straight, and are worried that they're just one spinning plate away from smashing them all? [aka burnout]

And what about the people who everyone else thinks have got their act together...
... but their 3am self-talk is telling them that *they* are the weakest link in the team...
... and they're terrified that 'today is the day my luck will run out'?

They've got their very own Anne Robinson-voiced inner critic telling them that one day people will find out that they're the weakest link.

Yes, sometimes we hire or move someone into a role that's simply not a great fit. But, according to my research, in this kind of situation, there are usually three factors at play:


1. Culture

How does the organisation's culture and expectations fit with that person's needs?

Are they supported to thrive? Or being kicked into survival mode, drowning in coping strategies?

Toxic resilience (bounce-back, gritted teeth, toughen-up resilience) is rising, since the pandemic, and research we're currently conducting shows that 38% of respondents are currently working for organisations that score 'high' on the Toxic Resilience Scale™.

This needs to become a key metric for ensuring employees' psychological safety at work.


2. Environment

The environment is the physical-world embodiment of the organisation's culture.

Is the person working in a Toxic Team? Does hot-desking trash that person's productivity? Are Teams pings triggering hypervigilance and the fight-flight-freeze response, 300 times a day? Do they feel under constant pressure to respond in minutes, being distracted by every message?

When did they last get time to actually do their work, instead of attending back-to-back meetings, without a comfort break?


3. Personal Habits

Is the person struggling with Imposter Syndrome?

(Here's how the 4 Ps of Imposter Syndrome - perfectionism, procrastination, project paralysis & people-pleasing - can trash productivity).

Are they heading towards burnout?

(Here's our 2022 Burnout Research Study white paper).

Do they need practical, proven support with their confidence?


All of these factors have solutions. But the first step needs to be to look beneath the surface-level symptoms, and to talk to whoever is struggling, to find out what is really going on.


If you're not sure how to approach this discussion, I've got a free advice guide for you here, including the five super-common pieces of advice to avoid, and how to move beyond 'tea and sympathy', so that you can support that person in creating change.


The research I have carried out over the past four years shows that Imposter Syndrome rates have gone up by a fifth, and that toxic resilience-led burnout is perhaps the single biggest challenge facing organisations, both for performance, productivity and psychological safety, and also for staff retention, in a time when filling vacancies is becoming increasingly difficult.


What's The Alternative To Toxic Resilience?

My Natural Resilience Method® is a research-backed, proven five-step process that can turn Imposter Syndrome and burnout around, in just a few weeks, by supporting people with creating change in their personal habits and environment.

Natural Resilience Method - Clare Josa

© Clare Josa

But that, alone, is not enough to solve the toxic resilience problem. Companies - and leaders - need to have the courage to make the cultural and environmental changes that support people in thriving, not surviving.

With the Natural Resilience Method®, I can also work with organisations to assess their Toxic Resilience Scale™ score, determining which of the hidden drivers would be quick-win solutions, and what can be done longer-term to bring this score down.

If you would like to find out more about what you can do, as an individual, as a leader, as a company, please get in touch to book a call.


Clare Josa is considered the UK's leading authority in Imposter Syndrome, having specialised in the area for 20 years, including publishing the best-selling book, Ditching Imposter Syndrome, and two international research studies.

To work with her to support your teams, please get in touch here.

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