For senior engineers, imposter syndrome misses the point.
Jonathan Kahn is a communication coach for senior technical experts. Over the last 10 years he’s trained hundreds of professionals, from engineers to medics, financial experts to UN peacekeepers.
Explaining complex technical issues to execs is tough. But they don’t think you’re a fraud. They want to know how your advice will help them—quickly.
Senior engineers face a problem that their past selves never had to deal with. You hit a point in your career where it’s not enough to know your stuff. Suddenly you also need to explain it to people who don’t have background knowledge. I’m talking about managers, execs, professionals from other disciplines. People who may know very little about your area.
When this happens, it’s normal to panic. And when we panic, we reach for simple explanations—like the popular trope of “imposter syndrome”. While it’s an appealing concept, it’s also a poor fit for the situations senior engineers need to deal with. So when you try to resolve the problem, you may end up barking up the wrong tree.
The idea of imposter syndrome has found a strong appeal among professionals of all stripes. There’s a reason why it resonates. It offers a simple explanation for the anxiety many people experience in the workplace.
