How to combat imposter syndrome among working women

Many people are familiar with that constant nagging sense that you're a phoney and that your achievements are a fluke.

Even with success on the surface, a deep-seated insecurity can persist and cloud every accomplishment. This is the destructive aspect of imposter syndrome, a psychological phenomenon that makes people believe they don't deserve their accomplishment despite great evidence of success.

Professor Shari Dunn, an award-winning journalist and attorney who holds a BA in philosophy from Marquette University and a JD from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, provides an argument on why individuals, especially women, struggle with imposter syndrome, particularly in professional settings.

In her book 'Qualified: How Competency Checking and Race Collide at Work', Dunn outlines the essential strategies for overcoming impostor syndrome and not succumbing to it.

Dunn defines the term 'imposter syndrome' as a behavioural health phenomenon described as self-doubt of intellect, skills, or accomplishments among high-achieving individuals.

Imposter syndrome, she says, is becoming a cultural shorthand for self-doubt.

Global inclusion strategist Ruchika Malhotra and writer Jodi-Ann Burey’s Harvard Business Review article 'Stop Telling Women They Have Imposter Syndrome' also warn against labels.

Malhotra and Burey emphasise that self-doubt often reflects a rational response to systemic bias.

As Malhotra and Burey put it: “Impostor syndrome directs our view toward fixing women at work instead of fixing the places where women work.”

Dunn explains how being labelled as having imposter syndrome in the workplace is often a misdiagnosis to promote inequities.

“It’s a response to environments steeped in bias, exclusion and relentless scrutiny of the competence of women, Black professionals, and other people from different races."

Dunn says many women, especially women of colour, are discouraged from believing in their abilities. Framing this as imposter syndrome diminishes the experiences of those who challenge traditional norms of leadership and success in male-dominated work environments.

“Imposter syndrome, however, masquerades as an internal failing, leading women to underplay themselves rather than confront the system's unrealistic ideas of being a woman and their struggles,” Dunn stated.

Dunn provides a solution to handling imposter syndrome.

She explains how feelings of self-doubt and uncertainty are part of being human and that it is natural to question one's abilities.

Dunn advises against dwelling on shortcomings, as this can exacerbate imposter syndrome.

“To move beyond imposter syndrome, we must reframe it as a solvable issue rather than an individual failing,” she says.

She emphasised that instead, workplaces must actively dismantle microaggressions, unfair biases, and inequitable opportunities.

According to Dunn, women must recognise that self-doubt often stems from assessing their competence rather than a lack of ability.

She encourages women from all backgrounds to unite in challenging the status quo around imposter syndrome and to recognise their ability to overcome challenges.

Imposter syndrome thrives in isolation, making women believe they are uniquely flawed. The solution lies in collective action – by addressing the systemic roots of competence assessment, we can create workplaces where self-doubt does not limit potential, and confidence or ambition is not penalised.