Women have Imposter Syndrome? Stop it!

Let me tell you a story about Talisa Lavarry and her struggle with Imposter Syndrome.

Talisa, an accomplished corporate event management professional in the US, faced an exhausting ordeal while organising a high-profile event. One with Barack Obama as the keynote speaker!

Despite her expertise in handling complex logistics, she found herself drowning in office politics and facing constant scrutiny from her colleagues. Being the only Black woman on her team, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being treated differently because of her race. As a result, she began doubting her qualifications for the job, even though the client praised her work. The situation escalated to the point where she was demoted and eventually ignored by her colleagues. Over time, this workplace-induced trauma led her to question her worth, resulting in deep anxiety and self-doubt. She became so traumatised that she contemplated suicide.

Since then, Talisa has written a book about her experience. Its called 'Your Token Black Colleague'.

As a professional recruitment consultant, this is just one of many examples I hear from candidates, and many talk about having issues with 'Imposter Syndrome.

What is Imposter Syndrome and where does it come from?

Impostor syndrome is a phenomenon where individuals doubt their abilities and feel like frauds. It disproportionately affects high-achieving people who struggle to accept their accomplishments. The concept was first explored in a 1978 study by psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes, focusing mainly on high-achieving women. Since then, it has gained significant attention, with many famous women confessing to experiencing it and has become a term that is regularly thrown around.

However, the initial research overlooked critical aspects, such as systemic racism, classism, and other biases. It excluded various groups, including women of colour, people from different income levels, genders, and professional backgrounds. As a result, the focus remained on fixing individuals rather than addressing the workplace systems that perpetuate and amplify impostor syndrome.

What about Systemic Bias and Workplace Cultures?

Impostor syndrome often bleeds in to pathologising normal feelings of uncertainty and anxiety in the workplace, particularly for women. With many women being told they just 'lack the confidence' to succeed. This results in women often self diagnosing and thinking there is something wrong with them.

On the other hand, as men progress in their careers, their doubts tend to diminish as their work and intelligence are continually validated. In contrast, women face the opposite experience, grappling with daily battles against microaggressions and gender stereotypes that undermine their confidence.

The workplace environment often directs women towards "overcoming impostor syndrome," which overlooks the root causes of systemic bias and exclusion. Women of colour, in particular, bear a more significant burden of self-doubt due to the intersection of race and gender, making them vulnerable to marginalisation in predominantly white and male-dominated workplaces. The exclusion they encounter exacerbates their feelings of inadequacy, leading to many contemplating leaving their jobs for more supportive environments.

Shouldn't we be fixing Biases instead of fixing women?

Rather than perpetuating the "fix women's impostor syndrome" narrative, isn't it more crucial to create inclusive workplace cultures that address systemic bias and racism? By doing so, surely the experiences leading to impostor syndrome in marginalised employees can be minimised, and a supportive environment can foster healthy self-doubt and positive motivation!

This is down to Leaders who must strive to create a culture that values diverse leadership styles and recognises the professionalism of individuals from various racial, ethnic, and gender backgrounds. Only then can we dismantle the biases and practices that hinder the full potential of underrepresented groups.

It is time to stop misdiagnosing women with impostor syndrome and shift the focus towards fixing workplace systems that perpetuate biases and exclusion. By doing so, we can create a more equitable and supportive environment for everyone to thrive.

It is 2023 after all!!