{"id":337,"date":"2020-12-15T14:42:00","date_gmt":"2020-12-15T14:42:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/imposter-syndrome\/"},"modified":"2024-05-30T10:35:49","modified_gmt":"2024-05-30T10:35:49","slug":"imposter-syndrome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/about-us\/tech\/2020\/12\/imposter-syndrome","title":{"rendered":"Debunking assumptions about imposter syndrome"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Syndromes among software engineers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We talk a lot about imposter syndrome in the tech community – it’s a term used to describe a feeling of inadequacy and the associated fear of being exposed as a fraud or an ‘imposter’ in your profession, a fear which usually has no basis in reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Imposter syndrome is real. I know a lot of professionals who can relate to that feeling, although it is especially common in the tech industry. This is likely to be related to the pervasive cultural myth of the 10x developer<\/a> and the typical software interview process<\/a> that requires software engineers to solve arcane brain teasers in front of an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The term imposter syndrome was first coined in a psychological study in 1978<\/a> that specifically focused on women in the workplace, and it is often discussed as a phenomenon that impacts women more than men. Some sources even believe it plays a role in the gender pay gap<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, more and more, researchers are recognising that imposter syndrome impacts men as well as women<\/a>. I have certainly observed imposter syndrome in my own thought patterns, and have also recognised it in friends and colleagues, both men and women, many of whom have years more experience than I do and are significantly more intelligent than I am.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"sb-tech-site-diversity\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mistaken assumptions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While I’m not immune to imposter syndrome, I like to think I’m reasonably competent at my job, and even though feelings of inadequacy occasionally do creep in, they haven’t had a big impact on my day-to-day work. There have been times throughout my career, however, in trying to start a discussion about my performance or raising a concern with managers, it’s been suggested that the root cause of me seeking feedback stems from imposter syndrome or a lack of self confidence. It’s a suggestion that usually comes from empathetic people with genuine intentions who are trying their best to be both kind and helpful. However, this suggestion is not helpful because it makes an assumption about the cause rather than listening to what is often a genuine request for professional feedback. Moreover, I can’t help finding this suggestion incredibly insulting. The implication that I have low self-esteem says a lot more about how this person sees me than how I see myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having only anecdotal evidence (and an acknowledged selection bias), I believe this assumption is most often projected onto young, physically small, or softly-spoken people, especially women. Asking for feedback or raising a concern about performance does not necessarily arise from a lack of confidence. It can simply be a request for ways to help someone to grow professionally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dialogues for supporting professional growth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you’re a people manager or somebody who gives feedback (which should be just about anybody), please consider these strategies to avoid painting tough people management problems as confidence issues:<\/p>\n\n\n\n