107 | The impact of imposter syndrome at work & how to tackle it head-on, with Aoife O’Brien
HR Coffee Time20 Okt 2023

107 | The impact of imposter syndrome at work & how to tackle it head-on, with Aoife O’Brien

Have you ever felt like a fraud at work and worried you were about to be found out at any moment? Do you ever hold yourself back from asking for what you want for fear of hearing the word, “no”? Do you ever procrastinate because you’re worried about getting things ‘perfect’ enough? Do you work incredibly hard – perhaps harder than your colleagues and peers because you want to make sure you’re achieving good results at work?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to any of these questions, you are not alone. You may be experiencing imposter syndrome; something that affects many of us at certain points throughout our career.

In this episode of HR Coffee Time, guest Aoife O’Brien explains what imposter syndrome is, the impact it has at work and how to tackle it head-on.

Listen to the episode to learn:


  • What imposter syndrome is (and what it isn’t)
  • Where her interest in imposter syndrome comes from
  • Results from Aoife’s research into imposter syndrome
  • How imposter syndrome impacts performance (including procrastination and burnout)
  • What Aoife thinks about claims that imposter syndrome doesn’t exist or that it’s an unhelpful label
  • Practical strategies to tackle imposter syndrome throughout your organisation
  • Tips to help you overcome imposter syndrome for yourself, including ABC (A = acknowledge, B = belief, C = courageous action)
  • How knowing your strengths and asking for feedback can help



Useful Links




Aoife’s social media profiles




Buy the Book Recommendation


(Disclosure: the book links are affiliate links which means that Fay will receive a small commission from Amazon if you make a purchase through them)

High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become That Way, by Brendon Burchard


Other HR Coffee Times Mentioned in This Episode





Looking For the Transcript?


You can find the transcript on this page of the Bright Sky Career Coaching website.



Rate and Review the Podcast


If you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. If you're kind enough to leave a review, let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: fay@brightskycareercoaching.co.uk.


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