No doubt about it

Alison, how do we stop imposter syndrome from getting in the way of success?

Firstly, acknowledge it. Imposter syndrome exists. It's not all in your head. It impacts around 70% of individuals across the globe. So acknowledge that it's a real thing and find a safe space to talk about it. The second part is understanding how imposter syndrome is showing up for you. When was the first time you felt this way? How prevalent is it in your day to day? When is it showing up? Journalling this stuff down or documenting it is a key step to starting to dismantle your journey with imposter syndrome.

Why is imposter syndrome something to take seriously?

Because its impact is so broad, it doesn't discriminate. It's very prevalent and impacts individuals, organisations and profit lines. But it's become, in recent times, a hot topic, great for clicks, but with that, we get a raft of misinformation. I want to highlight that it is very serious, and its impacts are serious, but on the flip side of that, once we understand it, we can dismantle it quickly.

So what is imposter syndrome?

Imposter syndrome is when you believe you're not as intelligent, capable, qualified or talented as others perceive you to be, despite clear evidence of your ability, accomplishments and success. When you have imposter syndrome, you struggle to internalise your success, so you're plagued by a feeling that you will be exposed as a fake, phoney or fraud. It's deeper than standard self-doubt. If you don't have that feeling of being exposed or found out, you're not experiencing imposter syndrome because that's the hallmark that makes it different from a standard bout of self-doubt or feeling inadequate.

Is imposter syndrome a problem in financial services?

It's a high-paced, highly innovative, global-scale industry, and there are lots of great people working in it. But when you're constantly in environments that are growing and pushing and thriving, imposter syndrome can drive you to overwork - and I'm talking the kind of burnout when you're off work for a couple of weeks, you are bedridden, so really serious stuff. Imposter syndrome drives them to do more - be first in the office, last in the office, out drinking all night or entertaining clients. It drives those cultures. I've seen professionals in financial services and other high-performing sectors lose themselves in believing their careers are their identities - you are not your career.

How does imposter syndrome affect companies?

If imposter syndrome is causing your employees to overwork, they might require more mental health leave. If they're not sleeping, they might be underperforming. Their emotional regulation might be out. They might drop a ball at work or miss a deadline. People with imposter syndrome fear being exposed, so they quit their jobs or move organisations or self-sabotage unconsciously through micro-management. And that costs innovative ideas, rapport building, stakeholder management, and all those things can impact the bottom line. Studies have estimated that imposter syndrome could be costing businesses billions of dollars.

What can employers do about imposter syndrome?

Any organisation that understands that imposter syndrome can affect 70% of their staff is usually interested in having a conversation about it. I run a lot of workshops and programmes with tangible tools to help. If you've got people in your organisation who are experiencing imposter syndrome, encourage them to share it and the tools and tactics that work for them. I love nothing more than seeing leaders go off the record talking about their imposter syndrome. Imagine how empowering it is to listen to and go, 'Oh my goodness, it's not only in my head."