People-Pleasing and Imposter Syndrome at Work: When Proving Yourself Becomes Exhausting

You agree to a deadline you’re concerned about, then work late to meet it. You receive positive feedback, but still feel you need to prove you deserve your role. How much effort goes into looking dependable? In part three of Patterns of Divergent Minds at Work, Cathy Rashidian explores the Adapter and Imposter patterns. We examine experiences that can overlap with people-pleasing and imposter syndrome at work, including suppressing concerns, overpreparing, and repeatedly checking work. In this episode: How to adapt your communication while keeping your own views and needs visible. The distinction between professional flexibility and masking. Why one mistake can start feeling like a judgment of your overall capability. How to define what “enough” means before beginning a task. How unclear expectations and inconsistent feedback can add to the pressure. For professionals with ADHD and other neurodivergent experiences, this is an invitation to notice effort that colleagues may never see—and identify one expectation worth clarifying. Explore your own patterns: Take the free Patterns of Divergent Minds at Work inventory. Series: Patterns of Divergent Minds at Work · Part 3 of 5.