A Note on Imposter Syndrome

Did you know that imposter syndrome (originally called imposter phenomenon) was originally coined after studying high-achieving women? It describes a cluster of internal beliefs held by an individual, but most prominent of those ideas is the notion that she is a fraud, and that others will discover at any moment that she is not really as great as she appears. 

We keep returning to this article and its argument against telling women that they are experiencing imposter syndrome, namely because imposter syndrome does not take into account intersectional factors that affect both women and minorities at work. For this reason, it is not helpful in every case to attribute feelings of underachievement and inadequacy to an internal mental construct. In fact, there is a measurable connection between imposter syndrome and increased distress from discrimination in minority groups. 

At Pilea, we agree (and have made it part of our mission) that the culture around leadership and company-building needs to change in order to be more supportive of leaders as whole people. Leaders should be encouraged to live meaningful lives full of experiences that help them grow rather than be forced into the paradigm that confidence, drive, and a penchant for overworking (a predominantly white, privileged, hetero-male profile) equals success.

On the other side of this coin, we would like to note that we see over and over again how the awareness of imposter syndrome (when both properly identified, and culturally and socially positioned) can be incredibly helpful. In our work, supporting leaders as they recognize where they most experience feelings of imposter syndrome often better situates them to step into their own achievement and to open up to greater capacity.

Imposter syndrome is not a term or assessment to throw around lightly (despite it having risen to buzzword status in the startup world). If you’re curious to see if you identify with the experience of the imposter phenomenon, then take this quiz before talking to your coach. If you don’t have a coach, consider booking a concierge call with us to find someone who will help you situate your symptoms into your own cultural context. With support, you can begin to better understand your full experience.