Banish the insecurities that reside within By Bernadette Butterfield Thrive Steering Committee IMPOSTER SYNDROME (noun) 1. The persistent inability to believe that one’s success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one’s own efforts or skills.
N
o matter how much evidence there is that we’re successfully navigating our lives, jobs and relationships, many of us hold false beliefs that we aren’t actually as capable or smart as others think we are. My first introduction to imposter syndrome was when I, myself was diagnosed. Venting anxiety and insecurity on my return to the workforce after raising children, with new technology to learn and a new identity to build, it was my son, Christopher, who said with a smile, “Mom, you have imposter syndrome.” Best-selling author and clinical psychologist Susan Albers, Psy.D., describes imposter syndrome as “the feeling that everyone else knows exactly what they’re doing, but you feel lost.” People with this condition, Albers says, devalue themselves and their expertise. Lisa Orbé-Austin, a New York City-based psychologist and career coach, explains that anytime you’re in a new
role, facing a set of challenges or simply out of your comfort zone, there’s a lot of pressure to perform well. Feelings of “not good enough” have only been further amplified by the many challenges brought by the pandemic, particularly for women. Caring for families, navigating online learning for school-aged children, having to leave the workforce altogether due to lack of child care, working from home and other new realities have placed an enormous burden on women and have heightened stress and anxiety, leading to more “imposter” moments. The mention of imposter syndrome resonated with guests at Thrive’s May breakfast focused on “Finding Your Voice: Empower Yourself with Communication Tools.” Many in attendance acknowledged having experienced instances of selfdoubt, setting off a candid conversation and informal therapy session with the audience. It was eye-opening to hear the number of strong, accomplished women reveal times when fear and feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt had crept into their minds. “Internally, we all feel doubts, apprehensions, ambivalence and insecurities,” explains David Dunning, a
Bernadette Butterfield is vice president of business development for Groom Construction. She is a member of the Thrive Steering Committee and sits on the Managing Board of The Chamber’s Board of Directors. 32
IMPACT MAGAZINE
