How to fight imposter syndrome at work

When Chris Capossela joined Microsoft in 1991, the first thing he noticed was how much faster his peers were getting promoted than he was.

At first he shrugged off the news of their promotions – after all, he was a marketing manager while his work friends were engineers and product designers and their teams worked at different speeds. Besides, he said to himself, who Not feel insecure in their 20s at the beginning of their career?

He switched jobs within a year and became a product manager on Microsoft’s desktop database products team, but the move didn’t calm the deep sense of uneasiness and imposter syndrome that was creeping in.

“I watched my roommates who also worked at Microsoft get offered higher-paying jobs and promotions faster than I did, and I was like, ‘Gosh, am I doing something wrong?'” he tells CNBC Make It.

Still, he decided to seek out the jobs at Microsoft that he was passionate about, even if they didn’t come with a higher salary or title.

Thirty-one years and several job changes later, Capossela, 53, is now Microsoft’s chief marketing officer — and he wouldn’t have made it into the C-suite, he says, without first learning how to fight imposter syndrome and passion, not competitiveness or the expectations of others determine his career.

One of the most important lessons Capossela learned in his career at Microsoft is that there is no clear path to success.

“You’re going to be moving at a different pace than the person on your left and on your right, but if you spend all your time looking left and right and comparing yourself to your peer group, you’re going to miss out on one.” great, organic career that’s rich and full of learning,” he says. “It’s very toxic and dangerous to do that.”

Lateral career entry can be just as valuable as vertical advancement, he adds. “I was never a five-year or 10-year plan person…when I started at Microsoft, I just went with my gut and took cool jobs that I qualified for,” he says. “However, in the long run, rotating and taking on roles across different teams can really pay off, as it gives you a broader perspective of your industry or company that makes you a more valuable employee across the board.”

You also don’t have to change jobs to reap the benefits of lateral entry: show an interest in what other teams do at your company, learn about other areas of responsibility, and be willing to embrace opportunities that go beyond the narrow scope of your responsibilities Going beyond role descriptions (to an extent you can handle) are great ways to challenge yourself and position yourself for the next step in your career, Capossela notes.

The most successful people don’t fixate on how long it will take them to achieve a certain title or make six figures, says Capossela.

“Don’t fall into the trap of thinking, ‘If I’m not a manager in 10 years, I’m a failure,’ or some other milestone,” he warns. “I don’t find that people with long careers that they’re happy with think that way… instead, they focus on how to add value to their team today and how they can learn and grow in their current role.” “

It’s no secret how to move up the corporate ladder, but Capossela emphasizes that if you balance your professional activities with your passion, you will be more confident and successful at work.

“You’ll do your best work when you’re most passionate and not spending all your energy wondering if this job will benefit your career in the long run and what other people are doing,” he says.

“My number one piece of advice is to always do whatever job you’re most passionate about because that’s where you’ll do your best, and when others see you at your best it’s more likely to lead to more great opportunities.”

Cash:

Microsoft Exec: My 2-Step Rule for Tough Conversations at Work

2 time management tricks the Microsoft CMO learned from working with Bill Gates – and how they can help you be more successful

Queer Eye’s Karamo Brown on the morning routines that keep him motivated

Join Now: Keep in touch with your money and your career with our weekly newsletter