Imposter Syndrome: Recognizing the Symptoms and Honoring your Worth - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Imposter Syndrome:

Recognizing the Symptoms and Honoring your Worth

Cecilia O. Macias, M.A. Office of Diversity & Inclusion

My Own Journey

• First generation
• Attended PWI’s
• Professional trajectory
• Personal social identities

Participants will...

• Develop an understanding of the concepts of impostor syndrome
• Identify how impostor syndrome can be present in the conscious and

subconscious

• Be able to assess their own experiences as it relates to the concept
• Learn methods to assist in developing coping mechanisms

Imposter Phenomenon

• Dr. Pauline R. Clance & Dr. Suzanne A. Imes

(1978) – Psychologists

• Those who suffer from imposter syndrome

tend to be very successful

• Research amongst high achieving women -

“An internal experience of intellectual phoniness”

• Impostor syndrome arises in spaces of

achievements where judgments are made

• Feeling like an imposter doesn't have much

to do with what you have done. It has to do with how you feel

What is Impostor Syndrome?

• It can strike anyone – but its particularly

prevalent among women, minorities, and people from less privileged socioeconomic backgrounds

• Being consistently anxious you’ll be ‘found out’

and convinced you don’t really deserve success

• Despite external evidence of their competence,

those with the syndrome remain convinced that they are frauds and do not deserve the success they have achieved

• an internal experience and distorted thinking

that one is not intelligent and has fooled everyone who believes otherwise (Clance & Imes, 1978)

Common Symptoms

• When people praise you, you fear you won’t live up to their

expectations

• You feel your success is due to luck, despite your actual track record of

achievements

• You're afraid others will discover how little you know
• When you succeed, you have doubts about being able to do it again
• You believe others are more intelligent than you
• You feel you need to work harder than others in order to prove your

worth

• You always have a backup plan ready in case you’re “discovered” for

the fraud you believe yourself to be

• You seek external validation, yet don’t fully believe it when it comes

Dialogue Pair & Share

Reflecting on your past experiences:

• Do you feel like you’ve

experienced imposter syndrome at some point?

• Have you ever kept yourself from

doing something that you wanted? What contributed to that decision?

• If so, what did that feel like?

Why Does it Matter?

• Stress
• Physical & emotional effects
• Relationship issues
• Lack of personal & professional

satisfaction

• Unreached potential

How Did You Get Here?

• Early family influences
• Messages about success and failure
• Myths and labels
• First in your family
• Decision to pursue an alternative path
• Pressure to represent your group
• Limited diversity
• Unsupportive organizational cultures
• Competition, hostility

Impostor Syndrome Experiences Worksheet

What Can You Do?

• Acknowledge the presence of impostor syndrome
• Stop! Recognize the triggers and reframe.
• Why am I having these feelings? Are they rational?
• Consistent and insistent positive self-talk
• Your preparation and contribution is valuable/necessary
• Surround yourself with encouraging affirmation
• Community - Mentor(s), Peer(s)
• Visual cues/images/messages
• Therapy
• Identify and leverage your strengths
• Become a knowledge expert
• Consult your mentor(s) or sponsor(s)
• Acknowledge the evidence that highlights your competence;
• wn your success
• Evaluate your environment

Dialogue Pair & Share

Knowing the effects of Imposter syndrome, consider the following:

• What are 1-2 steps you can take to

support yourself and others struggling with imposter syndrome?

Additional Resources

• The Impostor Phenomenon Overcoming the Fear that Haunts Your

Success, Dr. Pauline Rose Clance

• Secret Thoughts of Successful Women Why Capable People Suffer

from the Impostor Syndrome and How to Thrive in Spite of It, Valerie Young

• The Confidence Code The Science & Art of Self-Assurance – What

Women Should Know, Katty Kay & Claire Shipman

• The Empress Has No Clothes Conquering Self-Doubt to Embrace

Success, Joyce M. Roche

References

• Meninger, K. Fight the Imposter Syndrome Improve Your Confidence

& Career.

• Mount, P

. Impostor Syndrome.

• Revuluri, S. How to Overcome Impostor Syndrome.
• Young, V. 5 Weeks to Confidence and Overcoming the Impostor

Syndrome.