Recently-Promoted But Suffering From Imposter Syndrome

Dear Import/Export Compliance Manager,

I was recently promoted to a managerial position but I am having doubts about my ability to do the job required of me.  Do you have any advice to share?

Beset in Brooklyn

Dear Beset,

First of all, congratulations on your promotion!  You would not have been promoted if the management chain didn’t think you were up to the job.  That should be your first vote of confidence in yourself.

The psychological concept you’re referring to is called imposter syndrome.  You can read about it in more detail from actual psychology experts, but the short of it is that you feel that a) you do not belong in the role you’re in and that b) your co-workers and management realize this or will realize it soon. 

Well, here’s a secret: most of us have felt like imposters at some time in our careers.  For the Import/Export Compliance Manager, it also happened when he was promoted to manager, but it truly started with a summer job in construction as an electrician’s apprentice.  Having worked little with power tools besides in middle school shop class, the then 19 year-old was handed a sawzall by his supervisor, Jaime, and told to cut a hole in the top of an electrical junction box we were installing.  “Here you go, Pancho” (Jaime called everyone ‘Pancho’), and, after some quick instructions, he left. 

Did the hole get made?  Yes, it did. 

Did it look professional?  No, it did not. 

Did the young Import/Export Compliance Manager feel empowered by the trust that Jaime had placed in him?  Yes, he did. 

Was the Import/Export Compliance Manager fairly proficient at using a sawzall thereafter?  Yes, though his holes were never as expert-looking as those of the professional electricians.

And good old Import/Export Compliance Manager has never forgotten that day.   

As Kevin Kelly said, “If you are not falling down occasionally, you are just coasting.”  You have a golden opportunity to better yourself in the realm of import/export compliance.  You may feel like an imposter, but your management does not think of you as such.  The job may be rough for a while as you figure things out.  The job may be rough for a while as you find out what you yourself are truly capable of.  The job may be rough for a while as you learn first-hand whether import/export compliance management truly makes you happy (hopefully it will). 

To become better and overcome imposter syndrome, throw yourself into the task of learning.  Since you were promoted from within, you have the advantage of knowing your company’s products, organization, personnel, culture, etc.  You still need to learn basic management skills, how to interact with your subordinates (a more difficult task if they used to be your peers), how to organize your thoughts, which tasks to delegate and which to keep for yourself and all of the interesting things about being a manager at your company, such as, um, giving performance reviews.  Seek out a mentor or two within your company and a mentor or two in import/export compliance management outside of your company.  Treat them to a meal and then proceed to pick their brains.  Those of us who have been in management have learned a few things, many of which may help save you a lot of pain (because, usually in management, the impact of your mistakes is greatly magnified).  As Will Rogers once said, “Good judgement comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgement.”  Attend import/export compliance conferences and reach out to others there.  Read certain useful import/export compliance articles (cough, cough). 

Rest assured, you will learn, you will do your utmost to be a good manager and you will become proficient with that sawzall, even if your holes still look like they were created by meteors.  Good luck!