It’s a topic of discussion that’s come up a lot this year; should we stop telling women they have Imposter Syndrome? Is it really the fault of the organisation and an excuse that arises from what is actually discrimination and bias that leaves us feeling not good enough, that we need fixing?
My thoughts on this are yeah, nah. Here’s why.
Yes I agree with organisational responsibility to fix broken systems, do more in the equality space and address bias, but it’s not all about workplace culture. These things will exacerbate Imposter Syndrome (or Experience as I call it) but it doesn’t explain imposter experience in those who work in thriving cultures or those of privilege who also share these feelings. People like Dr Ashley Bloomfield who openly talks about his Imposter Experience despite being a middle aged white male in a government lead by a globally acclaimed leader.
I think if we lump the two together we risk throwing the baby out with the bath water. It’s like saying let’s stop giving free lunches at school because we need to solve child poverty – both are required and are a supporting mechanism whilst the larger task progresses.
We’re talking about 2 separate things here and one doesn’t mutually exclude the other. Imposter Experience won’t go away if we fix our systems. It doesn’t exist because of bad workplace culture. In fact, supporting people with Imposter Experience helps bridge the gap, to support people to exist in cultures that may still be a work in progress. So fix the culture yes but also support the Imposter Experience.
Workplace culture is an external environment. Imposter experience is an internal one. The one thing we have the biggest influence over as individuals is our internal environment, how we think and how we choose to show up. This isn’t to say there’s something wrong with us or it’s a problem we need to fix. It’s acknowledging a reality that exists in many high achievers and something that if left unchecked can halt our progress or lead us to dim our light.
Rather than the minority being ‘supported’ to fit in we need to gain the self-efficacy to feel comfortable standing out. To bring what is different about us knowing it’s a strength and a super power that sets us apart in a good way rather than making us different and feel like we need to be more like the norms we see around us. That’s why I’m passionate about the Imposter Experience work I do and after many years of running workshops, I’ve also seen the impact on thousands of people across multiple countries .
If we stop focusing on Imposter Experience and say it’s actually down to workplace culture we are left with a problem we’ve already been trying to fix for over a hundred years. I don’t think they are mutually exclusive. In fact whilst we’re still trying to fix our broken systems, gain equality, stamp out discrimination we also need support with the realities that exist regardless of our cultures – like Imposter Experience. So do both.
If the lens we look through is clouded by self doubt it doesn’t matter about your organisations policies, quotas or women in leadership initiatives. You’ll not back yourself, you won’t apply for the promotion and you won’t feel like you’ve earned your place at the table. Navigating imposter experiences helps individuals do this and therefore improve cultures along the way.
I know from my Imposter Experience research that there’s a lot of power in having the conversation, normalising these feelings and giving them a label. Imposter Experience is about our self-efficacy, the way we view our capabilities. It’s not about fitting in or belonging, that’s different.
Imposter Experience is not bullying, discrimination, bias or toxic cultures – they exist on the external. My view is this isn’t about fixing people, it’s about supporting them to own their space. It’s helping people remove that lens of self-doubt to gain confidence in what they bring to the table.