Redefining Impostor Syndrome

Redefining Impostor Syndrome: Unveiling the Root Causes and Focusing on Impudent Structures

I’m going to be honest with you, I hate the phrase “Impostor Syndrome.” Even before reading Ruchika Tulshyan and Jodi-Ann Burey’s fantastic HBR article “Stop Telling Women They Have Impostor Syndrome” (go read it now!) the term grated on me. Early into my tenure as an executive, I had someone I didn’t even know ask me if “being promoted to an executive role at such a young age had me experiencing impostor syndrome?” This old, white man reached out because he thought I needed a career coach. I wanted to yell many, many words at him for such an inaccurate and patronizing presumption. No, no I was not thinking about that dude who thinks he can mentor me when he knows nothing about me and is making assumptions instead of asking questions.  He did not get my business. Since then, the whole phrase really gets my goat. So, I thought I would process these feelings with some therapeutic blogging.

First coined in the late 1970s by psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes, Imposter Phenomenon (it was a phenomenon, not a syndrome at that time, an important distinction) refers to the persistent feeling of inadequacy and self-doubt, accompanied by a fear of being exposed as a fraud, even in the face of undeniable success.  Dr. Clance published her book, “The Impostor Phenomenon” in 1985 after years of research. And while it is a widely recognized phenomenon that has helped many individuals, namely women, identify and cope with their feelings of self-doubt - I find it highly problematic. We’re going to dive into three reasons why I think the term “Impostor Syndrome” perpetuates harmful narratives and why we should remove this phrase from our lexicon immediately and replace it instead with “Impudent Structures.”

The Problems As I See Them:

Misdiagnosis Mayhem

First and foremost, the term “Impostor Syndrome” suggests a physiological disorder. When Clance and Imes’ ideas were brought into the social media age and the term phenomenon (which implies experience) was replaced with syndrome, suddenly we were pathologizing feelings of doubt and fear.

I know this wasn’t the intent, and Clance herself is outspoken about her frustration in this rebranding, but by pathologizing this idea we undermine and overlook the root causes contributing to these feelings. Corporate workplaces were designed by men (affluent, white men mostly) for men. 

At the same time that Dr. Clance was interviewing women for her book, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act was introduced to Congress (1978) and it wasn’t until almost twenty years later, in the 1990s folks, that the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was passed to protect pregnant workers from termination and discrimination during a leave of absence. And we’re still fighting for that leave to be paid (at a federal level, lots of individual organizations are doing this and I commend them for this). There is a lot of historical and cultural context at play here. 

This reframing of systemic inequality as individual pathology puts the blame and onus on individuals, on women, instead of on the systems that devalue and suppress them. We suddenly look to fix ourselves. If you Google “how to overcome Impostor Syndrome” you will get hundreds of thousands of hits. Everything from self-affirmation jars, to drawing out a monster of your self-doubt, to reading your accomplishments in front of a mirror. What if it’s not individuals that need to take a look in the mirror, but instead the systems and workplace cultures that praise arrogance and disparage humility? The systems that are clearly contributing to women feeling fraudulent, unsupported, and unsure. 

It’s A White Woman Thing

I want to take a moment to own my own power and privilege as a white woman. I have a lot to learn and unlearn, and I know I’ve sat by complicity in organizations where women of color have experienced marginalization and feel like they don’t belong. I don’t say this as an excuse, but rather as a reminder to do better next time. 

When Clance and Imes interviewed women for the “Impostor Phenomenon” book, they interviewed a set of primarily white women who were surrounded by an educational system and upbringing that seemed to recognize their excellence. This work centered high achieving white women and did not explore or recognize the very real, systemic racism and bias facing women of color.  And I use women of color not to imply that all women of color have similar experiences, that is an incredibly broad term and women of color are not a monolith, but because women of different races have even greater obstacles facing them than I do. 

I hate that the term "Impostor Syndrome" is often associated with marginalized groups and individuals who may face additional challenges due to systemic biases and discrimination. Once again, by pathologizing this idea and focusing solely on individuals' internal feelings of inadequacy, we risk overlooking the external factors that contribute to their experiences. How about instead of focusing on “the confidence gap” we address the structural barriers of systemic racism that contribute to inequality and underrepresentation? 

If Everyone Has It, Does Anyone?

This phrase “Impostor Syndrome” is now very widespread. Over 70% of people have reported experiencing this phenomenon. Did anyone see that Numb3rs episode in season one where Charlie (using math of course, love this show so hard) determines that sniper attacks occurring across LA aren’t just one marksman, but instead a series of fad sniper killings that have infected the community? I feel a bit like this phrase “Impostor Syndrome” has infected the workplace- everyone I know is saying they have “Impostor Syndrome.” Even at times hiding behind the phrase, “I’d be more successful if I was more confident and didn’t suffer from Impostor Syndrome.” Everyone is jumping on this boat.

Not only is this fad infecting others who may only be saying this because it’s popular, but by diagnosing themselves with “Impostor Syndrome” individuals are perpetuating a downward spiral of negativity. By continuously using this term “impostor” we are reinforcing a negative self-image that can hinder personal growth. The word “impostor” also brings a tinge of criminal fraudulence to feeling unsure or anxious. It makes us feel worse. By embracing the label, individuals may internalize it as part of their identity, making it harder to break free from the cycle of self-doubt and embrace their achievements.

And remember, there are many solutions (affirmation jars, artistic renderings, etc.) but perhaps the best solution is not to treat the symptom but instead attack the root cause. The systems and structures designed to conflate confidence with competence and humility with ineptitude.

Instead: Impudent Structures

MC Esher’s Relativity

I was not experiencing “Imposter Syndrome” when the presumptuous coach-man reached out to me, he grossly misdiagnosed me. I should sue for malpractice. Sure I had, and continue to have, moments of fear, doubt, and anxiety - but I work hard and I know what I’m good at and what I’m not good at. What I have experienced, and I know I’m not alone, is countless encounters with male leaders telling me I’m too apologetic and not assertive enough to be a leader. I’ve evolved my language over time, using “I’m sorry” less, removing qualifiers like “just” and “kind of,” and trying on phrases like “I’m convinced” instead of “I think.”

True, my passive nature may undermine my authority and leadership at work at times - but this evolution of mine is forced, it’s not who I am. I’ve evolved and changed to fit into the current systems and structures that exist (remember created by men for men). But who said leadership meant being (overly) confident and assertive anyway? Why can’t leadership look like compassion, collaboration, questioning, and at times being unsure in ways that motivate you to work harder and inspire others to join you on your quest? Why are we fixing the individual instead of questioning the systems that tell them they’re wrong? And don’t even get me started on the fine line women have to walk between being not assertive enough (too timid, not confident, not executive material) and being too assertive (insubordinate, bossy, aggressive). It is near impossible to win.

The workplace needs more leaders who are willing to embrace their compassion and recognize the value of differences. What if we collaborate instead of delegate, question instead of command, and propose instead state? I see strength in that type of leadership. I don’t want you to fix your feelings of self-doubt and fear, I want you to use those and turn those feelings of uncertainty and doubt not to yourself, but to the structures that surround you. Let’s use them to dismantle the systems that were created without us at the table and recreate them in ways that are better.

And honestly, who’s telling male leaders to stop using phrases like “just to play devil’s advocate,” “actually” or “well… [followed by any number of condescending things]?!”