Office working looking at an Excel spreadsheet. Image by Tim Sandle
Impostor syndrome is seemingly more common in the workplace than ever, at least according to NerdWallet, who conducted a survey of 500 UK business leaders. The research found that, for example, over three-quarters of U.K. business owners had experienced impostor syndrome.
The impostor “syndrome” refers to the notion that some individuals feel as if they ended up in esteemed roles and positions not because of their competencies, but because of some oversight or stroke of luck. Impostor syndrome is often connected to the pressures to perform well at work.
Impostor syndrome is often deployed as a pop-psychological diagnosis, sometimes used to explain the ow presence of women and people from ethnic minorities at the top of businesses. It is therefore tied to patriarchy, racial stereotyping, and social class.
In some cases, an individual’s impostor attitudes are epistemically justified, even if they are factually mistaken. This can occur, for example, within hostile social environments which create epistemic obstacles to self-knowledge.
The high-level of the ‘imposter syndrome’ among business leaders was drawn from a survey conducted for NerdWallet by OnePoll between the 24th November 2022 and 30th November 2022. The survey included 500 UK business owners and senior managers aged 18 and over.
As well as the 78 percent of business leaders have experienced impostor syndrome, the poll finds that 47 percent are currently suffering from impostor syndrome symptoms. Furthermore, due to the psychological condition, 59 percent of business leaders have left or are thinking about leaving their job due to impostor syndrome.
The poll also reveals that 64 percent of professional relationships amongst business leaders were disrupted by impostor syndrome.
According to the poll, one way of addressing the feelings of inadequacy are to discuss the issue with others. This includes confiding in friends (mentioned by 69 percent) and family (raised by 65 percent of respondents). In addition, half (51 percent) of the business leaders surveyed said they felt comfortable discussing this with their co-workers or employees.
In terms of the factors that were responsible for triggering feelings of self-doubt, starting out in a new role was the most reported (57 percent), followed closely by receiving praise in front of colleagues (55 percent). Some other common triggers were:
- Carrying out meetings with team members (49 percent).
- Carrying out performance reviews (47 percent).
- Giving presentations in front of team members (44 percent).
- Being asked questions in front of the wider team (31 percent).
Whilst impostor syndrome may appear to be a personal issue, it can have severe consequences on work performance and even various aspects of workers’ personal lives. This includes thinking about quitting.
