In 2018, former US First Lady Michelle Obama made headlines for admitting that she still grappled with imposter syndrome. During the book tour of her bestselling biography “Becoming”, she confessed: “I still have a little [bit of] imposter syndrome. It doesn’t go away, that feeling you shouldn’t take me that seriously.” 

Ah, sweet, cruel imposter syndrome: the nemesis of professional confidence. That dreadful feeling that you don’t quite belong, that you’re not quite good enough, that somehow you cheated your way to achievement.

The origins of “imposter syndrome”

Coined in the ‘70s, the term (originally “imposter phenomenon”) was developed by two women psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes as part of their founding study. The study, which focused on high-achieving women, revealed that despite outstanding academic and professional achievements, these women felt that they were not that great and somehow managed to fool anyone who believed otherwise.

It’s likely that you’ve experienced these imposter-y feelings at some point in your life. Even celebrities like Viola Davis, Reese Witherspoon, and Mindy Kaling have famously confessed to doubting their abilities and feeling like a fraud during their career “peaks”. This begets the question: why do so many intelligent, capable people still struggle with imposter syndrome, and why does it remain prevalent decades after this study was published?

Imposter syndrome is an effect, not a cause

There’s no simple or single answer to why imposter syndrome exists. We often think of it as something an individual mentally grapples with, but there are underlying reasons why those feelings of insecurity, doubt and fear manifest. Factors like institutionalised discrimination, systemic biases and the environment play a huge role in triggering imposter feelings. For women, ethnic minorities and other underrepresented groups, these feelings of “non-belonging” surface because they often don’t see people like themselves reflected in the spaces they occupy. 

Valerie Young, subject expert and the author of “The Secret Feelings of Successful Women”, explains that a sense of belonging is key to fostering confidence. “The more people who look or sound like you, the more confident you feel. Conversely, the fewer people who look or sound like you, it can and does for many impacts their confidence.” According to Young, this is especially true for those who belong to groups for whom there are stereotypes about competence, like racial minorities or women in male-dominated fields. In these instances, imposter syndrome is a reaction to society, workplaces, and media representations without inclusive role models. 

“Imposter syndrome is a reaction to society, workplaces, and media representations without inclusive role models. These feelings of anxiety or self-doubt are universal and only human, but there are instances where they could be signs of systemic biases that ought to be examined further.”

Distinguishing between insecurity and reaction to bias 

Today, imposter syndrome has such a hold within our cultural narrative, particularly in the way we frame women’s experiences in white-collar professions. It’s become synonymous with those feelings of discomfort, anxiety or uncertainty that bubble up in the face of change or a new opportunity. 

While it is helpful to have the vocabulary to name and define those uncomfortable imposter-y feelings, assigning a syndrome label can be a limiting way to explain those feelings. These feelings of anxiety or self-doubt are universal and only human, but there are instances where they could be signs of systemic biases that ought to be examined further.

In an HBR article titled “The Truth About Imposter Syndrome”, Jodi-Ann Burrey, a speaker, writer and podcaster working in the intersections of race, culture and health equity, argues that “imposter syndrome is a false narrative that people in power use to draw attention away from systemic problems in the workplace, like lack of opportunity, lack of fair play, lack of diversity.” She suggests asking yourself questions to determine the root cause of those so-called imposter feelings. 

• What is making me feel like an imposter right now?

• What type of imposter syndrome is this? Is it just a proxy of me feeling uncertain that I’m learning something new? 

• When else have I felt this way?  

• Is there a trend or pattern that makes me feel like this?  

• How does it compare to this time?

Examining your feelings and reflecting on where they stem from can tell you if whatever you’re feeling is a) because you’re navigating something new b) or, on the flip side, it can also tell you that your work environment is not supporting you in the way you need. It’s important to distinguish whether what you’re experiencing is a natural response to change or a reaction to a systemic bias or discrimination you may not even realise you’re experiencing. 

“The problem with the current conversation around imposter syndrome is that it places the responsibility squarely on the individual, not taking into account the various social, structural, and economic factors at play.”

The solution? Fix the environment, not the individual 

The problem with the current conversation around imposter syndrome is that it places the responsibility squarely on the individual, not taking into account the various social, structural, and economic factors at play. This isn’t to say those imposter-y feelings are invalid. However, at best, explaining it away as a “syndrome” can be a limiting way to understand those feelings; at worst, subjects women to environments with implicit biases.

The solution to addressing and overcoming imposter syndrome is ultimately about fixing the environment, not the individual. Workplaces need to create environments where women are the feature, not the bug. This includes going beyond surface-level diversity and creating spaces where diverse racial, ethnic and gender identities are represented, welcomed and treated as equally professional. 

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