Despite increasing studies into the effects of imposter phenomenon, there lacks empirically tested interventions that could help individuals address the distorted cognitions associated with "feeling like a fake" in their work role. Using a multistage sequential mixed methods study design, we developed and pilot-tested a workshop intervention based on cognitive processing therapy to determine the impact on participants' imposter tendencies, core selfevaluation, and transfer of learning outcomes. As a result of the workshop, participants reported significantly lower imposter scores and increased core self-evaluation ratings compared to their baseline results. Participants also described proximal and distal transfer of learning outcomes and the overall impacts of increased agency in challenging distorted thinking patterns, greater awareness and normalizing of their imposter experiences, and use of experiential learning to continue addressing future imposter episodes. While preliminary, our study offers empirical support of a work-based intervention to help employees disrupt distorted thinking patterns associated with experiencing imposter tendencies.
K E Y W O R D Scognitive processing therapy, core self-evaluation, imposter phenomenon, workshop intervention Among emergent talent development issues, the experience of thinking and feeling like a fraud-known as imposter phenomenon (IP)-has been found to have serious effects on work outcomes. Imposters often make attributional errors concerning their professional competence resulting in them feeling dissatisfied with their work, demonstrating less organizational commitment, and slowing their career persistence (Neureiter & Traut-Mattausch, 2016;Vergauwe et al., 2015). Imposters also tend to engage in negative coping behaviors (e.g., perfectionism, procrastination) to deal with increased levels of stress often leaving them exhausted and on the verge of job burnout (Hutchins et al., 2018). Despite the growing concerns among human resource development (HRD) professionals about how to effectively support employees who struggle with IP, little is known about empirically tested interventions that can improve employee resilience to "thinking and feeling like a fraud."Individuals who struggle with IP experience persistent doubts about their intellectual legitimacy as it relates to their work role and overall career success (Clance & Imes, 1978). Imposters often believe that they have "fooled" others into overestimating their abilities, often attribute their success to luck or a mistake, and experience a persistent fear of being exposed as a fake (Harvey & Katz, 1985). Compared to low-IP colleagues, imposters experience a cycle of self-doubt, anxiety, and maladaptive coping strategies such as overpreparing or procrastinating. Imposters also struggle to internalize success which would normally alleviate their concerns of success and performance, but instead reinforces and sometimes increases their self-doubt (Whitman & Shanine, 2012). This