Tackling Imposter Syndrome And Creating A Growth Mindset
Sagar Vasandani works at the Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance, hosted by The Christie NHS Foundation Trust and a crucial arm of NHS Greater Manchester. As a Lead Business Intelligence Analyst, Sagar plays a vital role in driving data-informed decisions within the cancer care landscape. Although Sagar is not directly involved in line management, he has taken on significant informal leadership responsibilities, which prompted him to participate in the “Building a Growth Mindset” sessions commissioned by the NHS North West Leadership Academy.
Aims
The “Building a Growth Mindset” sessions were designed to equip junior and senior NHS leaders to:
- Understand the imposter phenomenon and its impact.
- Recognise and address imposter experiences.
- Develop strategies to break the link between a fixed mindset and imposter experiences.
- Foster cultures that promote a growth mindset and reduce imposter syndrome.
Approach
Sagar summarises his experience of the “Building a Growth Mindset” sessions as follows:
“The training was in two parts and the first section was all about imposter syndrome. It’s a very a big issue for a lot of people, so having that as a topic was helpful and the way that it was facilitated with lots of group discussion helped to explore other people’s experiences not just the theory behind it.“
“I think the delivery of part 2 was similar, where we talked about growth mindset and about what it is and how to develop it and there were various resources signposted as well. For example, they mentioned things like Carol Dweck’s book on growth mindset and Amy Cuddy and her power poses TED talk. It was useful to have all those reminders in the training because it reinforced the importance of those particular elements. I wanted to learn about growth mindset, particularly from the NHS North West Leadership Academy because sometimes growth mindset techniques are tied to specific situations and I wanted to hear examples of how to implement these in an NHS working environment.”
Outputs
The sessions aimed to enhance self-awareness, leadership skills, and create a supportive peer network. Key learning outputs included:
- Understanding and addressing imposter experiences.
- Increased self-reflection and reframing of situations.
- Improved self-reliance and self-awareness.
- Realisation that many share similar feelings and strategies to manage these feelings.
- Positive reframing as a tactic to tackle imposter syndrome.
Outcomes
The immediate outcomes of Sagar’s participation in the growth mindset sessions included an enhanced ability to manage impostor syndrome and a more strategic approach to preparing for meetings and projects.
“There was this initiative between part 1 and part 2, where we got paired up and given a task.“
“We had to set a goal and then catch up with our buddy and talk about the goal. I think when it comes to stuff like that, it can sometimes be a challenge, depending on who you’re buddied up with, and whether or not they’re going to implement the learning or take on the action. But I think because the ask wasn’t so difficult, it was successful.”
“My action was to do with a meeting I was facilitating. It was a project initiation conversation and I think I said going in, I had some imposter syndrome around not being the subject matter expert on this but being the one bringing together subject matter experts and I wanted to go in and be able to facilitate the discussion and get a clear action plan out of it. So, I had to prepare my mindset going into that meeting and I remember implementing some of the growth mindset techniques and that meeting was very successful. That’s what I talked about with my buddy.”
By adopting a growth mindset and offering himself the same encouragement and advice he would give a colleague, Sagar was able to boost his confidence and perform more effectively in his role.
Impact
On a personal level, the sessions were valuable to Sagar. They not only helped him manage self-doubt but also reinforced his leadership.
“I had a job interview for a Cancer Performance Manager role at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, and I used some of the learning to prepare for that interview. I didn’t have a lot of time to prepare, but I prepared my mindset going in and I did get offered the job. It’s a higher band and it’s a performance manager job, which is a good outcome for me.”
Sagar will extend the growth mindset learning to his new team, where he plans to implement the leadership techniques he has learned. This includes fostering a positive team culture and driving continuous improvement, which is critical to the success of the healthcare system.
Next Steps
Sagar is committed to furthering his leadership journey by continuing to engage with the NHS North West Leadership Academy. He plans to apply for the Mary Seacole programme, which will offer more in-depth leadership training.
Sagar also intends to integrate the learning from various leadership courses into his new role, ensuring that his team benefits from a strong, growth-oriented culture. By staying actively involved in leadership development opportunities, Sagar aims to contribute significantly to the NHS’s mission of providing high-quality care through effective leadership.