Imposter Syndrome & Why it affects Women
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The document discusses imposter syndrome, a psychological phenomenon where successful people feel like frauds and do not believe they deserve their accomplishments. It affects women more than men. The document notes that despite increasing numbers of women in fields like law and business leadership, imposter syndrome causes many women to underestimate themselves. It provides tips for overcoming imposter syndrome, such as acting confidently, working hard, and not dwelling on perfection.
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Imposter Syndrome & Why it affects Women
- 1. Imposter syndrome: Why it afflicts women and what we need to do about it Marcia Doheny Director, Legal and Governance City of Sydney October 2014
- 2. What is the imposter syndrome? A psychological phenomenon in which people are unable to internalize their accomplishments. 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. Proof of success is dismissed as luck, timing, or as a result of deceiving others into thinking they are more intelligent and competent than they believe themselves to be. / Imposter Syndrome: Why it afflicts women and what we need to do about it – October 2014 2
- 3. Cheryl Sandberg – CEO of Facebook / Imposter Syndrome: Why it afflicts women and what we need to do about it – October 2014 3 “Every time I was called on in class, I was sure I was about to embarrass myself. Every time I took a test, I was sure that it had gone badly. And every time I didn’t embarrass myself – or even excelled - I believed I had fooled everyone yet again. One day the jig would be up”.
- 4. Gail Kelly – CEO of Westpac / Imposter Syndrome: Why it afflicts women and what we need to do about it – October 2014 4 “It’s been trouble for me all my life, the sense of gosh, I’m not good enough, I’m not adequate. I’m not going to do this well. I might fail, what happens if I fail?”
- 5. Nova Maree Peris / Imposter Syndrome: Why it afflicts women and what we need to do about it – October 2014 5 "In order to play 100 games, you've first got to play one game. You've got to take the small steps to climb the mountain. I climbed mountains in two different sports. I find in politics, you have to move the mountains that are put in front of you - and that is possible. Stone by stone, you can move a mountain." “…at the end of the day, I have the ability to pick myself up, dust the dirt off and keep going.”
- 6. Women in Law / Imposter Syndrome: Why it afflicts women and what we need to do about it – October 2014 6 Percentage of women in Australia practising Law: •1986 - 17 per cent Australian Institute of Criminology (May 2009) http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/proceedings/16/anleu.pdf •2014 - 46 per cent The College of Law (March 2014) http://www.collaw.edu.au/insights/encouraging-gender-diversity-legal-profession/
- 7. Mount York, Blue Mountains NSW History of men’s achievements / Imposter Syndrome: Why it afflicts women and what we need to do about it – October 2014 7
- 8. What about women’s achievement? / Imposter Syndrome: Why it afflicts women and what we need to do about it – October 2014 8
- 9. Starting out / Imposter Syndrome: Why it afflicts women and what we need to do about it – October 2014 9
- 10. / Imposter Syndrome: Why it afflicts women and what we need to do about it – October 2014 10
- 11. Women in law / Imposter Syndrome: Why it afflicts women and what we need to do about it – October 2014 11
- 12. Fitting in to the culture / Imposter Syndrome: Why it afflicts women and what we need to do about it – October 2014 12
- 13. Women in law / Imposter Syndrome: Why it afflicts women and what we need to do about it – October 2014 13 City of Sydney - Legal Services Team
- 14. Women in law / Imposter Syndrome: Why it afflicts women and what we need to do about it – October 2014 14
- 15. City of Sydney / Imposter Syndrome: Why it afflicts women and what we need to do about it – October 2014 15 Monica Barone - CEO City of Sydney Clover Moore - The Lord Mayor of Sydney
- 16. Women in local government / Imposter Syndrome: Why it afflicts women and what we need to do about it – October 2014 16 •Approximately 200,000 elected members and employees in local government. Around half of all employees are women and yet: - Women represent less than 30 per cent of councillors and elected members; - Only 20 per cent of women are employed as senior executives; and - Only seven per cent of CEOs are women. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (2014) http://www.dpmc.gov.au/women/priorities/womens_leadership/increasing-leadership.cfm
- 17. Women in ASX companies / Imposter Syndrome: Why it afflicts women and what we need to do about it – October 2014 17 Workplace Gender Equality Agency (2012) https://www.wgea.gov.au/lead/2012-australian-census-women-leadership The 2012 Australian Census of Women in Leadership •The 2012 Census found that despite an acceleration in the progress for women on the boards of ASX 200 companies, there had been negligible progress for females in executive ranks over the past decade. •Less than one in 10 executives of ASX 200 (9.7%) and ASX 500 (9.2%) companies are women. •Only 12 ASX 500 companies had a female CEO.
- 18. / Imposter Syndrome: Why it afflicts women and what we need to do about it – October 2014 18 Get on with it and don’t underestimate yourselves!
- 19. / Imposter Syndrome: Why it afflicts women and what we need to do about it – October 2014 19 Take the lead to make our workplaces flexible and supportive!
- 20. Tips •How you show up matters •Work hard •At least act as though you believe in yourself and never put yourself down •It’s not your life, it’s just your job – manage your emotions and lighten up! •Don’t try to reach perfection – it’s not going to happen! •Smile – be happy! / Imposter Syndrome: Why it afflicts women and what we need to do about it – October 2014 20
- 21. Mount York, Blue Mountains NSW / Imposter Syndrome: Why it afflicts women and what we need to do about it – October 2014 21
- 22. Questions / Imposter Syndrome: Why it afflicts women and what we need to do about it – October 2014 22