Books we recommend
Positive intelligence : why only 20% of teams and individuals achieve their true potential and how you can achieve yours
Shirzad Chamine
Published 2012
Imposter Syndrome
- Your mind runs both Sage (positive) and Saboteur (negative) patterns; most underperformance comes from letting Saboteurs dominate.
- The Judge is the master Saboteur, supported by accomplices like the Controller, Pleaser, Avoider, Hyper‑Achiever, and others that masquerade as strengths.
- Positive Intelligence Quotient (PQ) measures the proportion of time your mind works for you (Sage) versus against you (Saboteurs); raising PQ improves performance, wellbeing, and relationships.
- You can weaken Saboteurs by labeling their voices in real time ("That’s my Judge speaking") and refusing to fuse your identity with their stories.
- You can strengthen the Sage by shifting to curiosity, empathy, creativity, and calm, especially under pressure, and by reframing setbacks as gifts or opportunities.
- Short, frequent PQ reps (simple attention‑training exercises done many times a day) build the mental muscle needed to intercept Saboteurs and return to Sage.
- Teams with high PQ show greater trust, collaboration, and resilience, turning conflict into learning instead of politics or blame.
- Sustainable success comes from operating primarily from Sage—not from fear, guilt, or anxiety—so you can achieve high performance while also enjoying the journey.