Imposter syndrome affects many high-achieving women, especially in male-dominated industries such as financial services. As we look ahead to International Women’s Day tomorrow, Katie Brinsden (pictured), Managing Director at Truly Independent reflects on her own personal career experiences as she shares three powerful tips for building confidence and belonging at work
I spent several years in the motor trade before I entered the world of financial advice. My roles were mostly administrative, but I inevitably picked up some very basic engineering skills over time.
As a result, I sometimes volunteered to do simple jobs when the mechanics were otherwise engaged. If a customer merely wanted an oil check, for instance, I would eagerly step up to the plate.
Unfortunately, some customers could barely disguise their horror. It was as if I had offered to carry out brain surgery on them rather than merely fiddle with a dipstick for a minute or so.
Why? They just could not accept the idea of a woman working on a car. They gave every impression that they would not even dream of getting back behind the wheel if I so much as raised the bonnet.
This sort of experience can have a negative effect, especially if it happens again and again. It can make you feel you do not belong. It can give rise to what is nowadays commonly known as imposter syndrome.
A vast body of academic research shows the issue is most likely to affect high-achieving women, usually in male-dominated arenas. Financial services, an industry in which gender parity at senior levels is still a long way off, is a classic example.
Even today, well over a decade after my abilities were repeatedly called into question by misogynistic motorists, there is a part of me that remains prone to imposter syndrome. Asked what I do for a living, I might say I am an administrator – harkening back to that previous phase of my professional life – rather than a managing director.
Thankfully, I work for a company that is fully committed to the cause of diversity, equity and inclusion. Women hold numerous senior positions in our business, and ideals such as fairness and meritocracy are promoted from the top down.
As a result, whenever those nagging doubts occasionally resurface, I draw on a number of lessons I have learnt over the years. These apply to employers and to employees alike. Below are a few I find particularly useful.
- Co-create an open and supportive work culture
An essential goal for any workplace should be to clearly emphasise learning rather than blaming. This can happen only in a setting where everyone has a voice and it is acceptable to make mistakes.
Individuals will never feel truly comfortable if they believe they cannot speak up and their errors will be ridiculed and/or punished. They will shrink from their tasks, shy away from challenges and continue to regard themselves as imposters – to the detriment of a business as a whole.
The reality is that everyone has insecurities. No-one gets everything right. An open, supportive work culture encourages employees to share their concerns – not least with line managers – and to appreciate the only genuinely inexcusable mistake is the one that is made twice.
- Identify and address sources of unnecessary pressure
A defining characteristic of sufferers of imposter syndrome is that they heap tremendous pressure on themselves. There is a twisted logic to this: they are convinced they do not belong, so they work ever harder in an attempt to prove they do.
The outcome is frequently burnout, which is obviously profoundly damaging from an employee’s perspective. It is also bad news for a company, whose productivity is likely to decrease while the affected individual tries to recover.
Such situations can be avoided if employers are approachable and prepared to discuss the root causes of imposter syndrome. The solution in many cases is likely to lie in addressing the flaws in existing policies and practices.
- Separate feelings from facts
Employers have a duty of care. They must treat everyone fairly and do everything they can to ensure workplace dynamics do not lend themselves to imposter syndrome or any other issues stemming from structural inequality and unconscious bias.
Yet it may be unwise to wait for positive change to trickle down from above, even if an organisation shows every sign of heading in the right direction. As individuals, however difficult it might seem at times, we can always strive to make a difference ourselves.
To that end, little acts can have a big impact. Just making a conscious effort not to put yourself down at every turn may help enormously. Write down your feelings and see if they actually tally with the facts. Recognise your qualities. Talk about yourself with confidence. Be proud of what you bring to your job and try to understand why you really do belong.
Katie Brinsden is Managing Director (not just an administrator!) of Truly Independent.
