“I’m a fraud about to be discovered!”. Impostor syndrome – two words that plague any women-dedicated leadership program. They name that feeling people have when they wonder if they’re really ready for a role. They also describe an abnormal feeling of inadequacy or self-doubt, especially among high achievers.
I am not a big fan of this term. I’ve often thought the fact that we’re “taught” to be aware of impostor syndrome primarily in women’s leadership programs could be doing more harm than good. Suddenly, we have an all-too-convenient “self-diagnosis” subtly suggesting our self doubts are somehow different and require “treatment”, as the word “syndrome” usually describes some sort of medical condition.
Are we creating a problem?
Teaching about impostor syndrome specifically in women’s leadership programs could be creating an unequal set of skills and competencies between women and men graduates. It can add a potential disadvantage to getting into executive roles and the boardroom. Each hour we (women) spend learning about battling impostor syndrome is an hour of practical knowledge we’re not getting and the other guys are.
So here is my appeal. If you wouldn’t teach it to a room full of high-achieving men (or at a mixed-gender program), should you really be teaching it to a room full of high-achieving women? When asked “what is one skill you feel you’re lacking to ascend to the highest executive roles” – most people, men and women, will answer “corporate finance” or “strategic negotiations” and not “how to deal with my self-doubt”.
There is also a flip side. If we feel that tapping into emotional self-awareness is important in any leadership role, shouldn’t we be teaching it to men as well?
Maybe it’s time to ditch the impostor syndrome altogether? What do you think?