Why I still speak about Imposter Syndrome to Women

Next week I am giving three keynotes on Imposter Syndrome. All either in the context of International Women's Day activities or of discussions about women's leadership.?

Yes, I am speaking of Imposter Syndrome to audiences of women.

And no, I am not tone deaf.?

I see the cultural shift.?

I hear the evolution of conversations that is happening.?

I feel the pushback imposter syndrome is getting as a message directed to women.?

Yet I choose to continue pushing this message and, today, I want to tell you why.?

In 2021 Harvard Business Review published an article that went on to be its most read one.?Stop telling women they have imposter syndrome?said the authors Ruchika Tulshyan and Jodi-Ann Burey.?Their main argument, that workplaces had not been designed with women in mind and in particular "women of colour”, resonated hard with audiences everywhere. ?

There was a generalized freeing rush of "Oh my God, it's not me! It's toxic corporate environments that were not built for me in the first place."

The internet fell in love with this idea and a wave of social media activism ensued: "I am no longer entertaining the thought of imposter syndrome.”

These are the closing words of this article: "Rather than focus on fixing imposter syndrome, professionals whose identities have been marginalized and discriminated against must experience a cultural shift writ large."

Here is the thing: Cultural and societal change happens at a very different pace than individual change. Societal change happens at a glacial pace, often at the whim of other ideas that are jostling for attention. It requires motivated people, willingness to change at large, power dynamic changes and so much more.?

In the meantime, during this slow, slow, oh so slow pace of change, people (read women) continue to live with the consequences of this combination of toxic work environments, being the "only" in a space, the language (or lack thereof) that is available to describe one's reality and so on.?

???? Consequences that show up as imposter thoughts.?

???? Imposter thoughts that keep people (reread women) from achieving their potential in the modern workplace.?(while we wait for social change)

So, for this to be a productive conversation, it can't be an either/or one. It has to be a yes/and conversation.?

I will stay in the lane of speaking to women about imposter syndrome, how to recognize the behaviours, the impacts on their (my) careers (think: a lot of dollars), and what steps they can take to reframe it.

This way, we don't collectively have to wait for icebergs to melt (sorry, social change to happen).?

AND I am hoping to continue doing this work side by side with social activists who are passionate about bringing the conversation to the organizational, cultural, political, and intellectual powers that be.?

It is this powerful combination of individual ownership and social activism that will eventually make it possible for the imposter syndrome experience to be a thing of the past.?

Bibi

Thank you for spending your reading time with me. For my original exploration of this subject, check out this episode of Speaking with Women.?

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