Are women's careers being destroyed by something called "Imposter Syndrome"?

Imposter syndrome (IS) can act as a major obstacle to career progression, especially for women, not to mention the negative effects on the economy as a whole
“You don’t know what you’re doing.”

“Any moment someone will catch you out.”

“What made you think you could even attempt this?”

“You’re a failure. A total, shameful failure.”

These cruel doubts manifest in the minds of those suffering a painful and debilitating phenomenon called imposter syndrome (IS). A mixture of anxiety and a persistent inability to recognise one’s own success, this syndrome can be crippling, destroying the careers and lives of its most chronic sufferers.

The syndrome was identified in 1978 by psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes. They believed that IS only affected women, but subsequent research has shown that men are also affected. However, women tend to be more susceptible because they produce less testosterone – the confidence hormone.

According to Clare Josa, author of Ditching Imposter Syndrome and a leadership consultant, men are more likely to push through the syndrome while women tend to give in to their self-doubt.

Maddog wrote:Women are genetically programmed to be risk-averse. That's why they don't die in car crashes as often, they don't get killed at work as often, and they don't get killed in leisure activities nearly as often.

Men, who have a woman in their life telling them not to do stupid shit, also tend to live longer than men that don't

eddie wrote:I don’t think women in the workplace are as shy and timid as this article makes out.

Ben Reilly wrote:

eddie wrote:I don’t think women in the workplace are as shy and timid as this article makes out.

I don't think it's really saying that most women are like this, more that women are more susceptible to having it hamper their business/career ambitions.

Ben Reilly wrote:

Maddog wrote:Women are genetically programmed to be risk-averse. That's why they don't die in car crashes as often, they don't get killed at work as often, and they don't get killed in leisure activities nearly as often.

Men, who have a woman in their life telling them not to do stupid shit, also tend to live longer than men that don't

I was reading about the endangered Florida panther the other day, because that's the sort of thing I do, and it said that the panthers often get killed on the highways that criss-cross their habitats.

They said the vast majority of panthers killed on highways are male, and that the females almost never cross highways.

May very well be a female evolutionary instinct to find and stick to a safe situation, as a mother who takes risks is more likely to lose her offspring.

eddie wrote:
I don’t think women in the workplace are as shy and timid as this article makes out.

WhoseYourWolfie wrote:

eddie wrote:
I don’t think women in the workplace are as shy and timid as this article makes out.

I agree...

While the "syndrome" itself most likely does exist,  I reckon that O/P is actually overstating the real situation and blowing things out of all proportion..

Giving yet another excuse for lazy fat-arsed wastrels to explain away their own incompetencies and inadequacies.

P.S.  And, contrary to the lies being peddled in the O/P,  women actually start up more businesses, in total, than men --  and have better survival rates..

Maddog wrote:Fear manifests itself in many different ways. It causes some folks to engage in aggressive outbursts.

WhoseYourWolfie wrote:

eddie wrote:
I don’t think women in the workplace are as shy and timid as this article makes out.

I agree...

While the "syndrome" itself most likely does exist,  I reckon that O/P is actually overstating the real situation and blowing things out of all proportion..

Giving yet another excuse for lazy fat-arsed wastrels to explain away their own incompetencies and inadequacies.

P.S.  And, contrary to the lies being peddled in the O/P,  women actually start up more businesses, in total, than men --  and have better survival rates..

WhoseYourWolfie wrote:

eddie wrote:
I don’t think women in the workplace are as shy and timid as this article makes out.

I agree...

While the "syndrome" itself most likely does exist,  I reckon that O/P is actually overstating the real situation and blowing things out of all proportion..

Giving yet another excuse for lazy fat-arsed wastrels to explain away their own incompetencies and inadequacies.

P.S.  And, contrary to the lies being peddled in the O/P,  women actually start up more businesses, in total, than men --  and have better survival rates..

eddie wrote:

WhoseYourWolfie wrote:


I agree...

While the "syndrome" itself most likely does exist,  I reckon that O/P is actually overstating the real situation and blowing things out of all proportion..

Giving yet another excuse for lazy fat-arsed wastrels to explain away their own incompetencies and inadequacies.

P.S.  And, contrary to the lies being peddled in the O/P,  women actually start up more businesses, in total, than men --  and have better survival rates..

Yeah I am in agreement with you on this one.

eddie wrote:I have worked with more women than men and I can honestly say I think that they’re mostly over-confident, overly-bitchy and overly-self entitled. So I’m not sure I buy this at all!

eddie wrote:I don’t think women in the workplace are as shy and timid as this article makes out.

Jules wrote:Thanks eds. I wanted to point out that I felt you were both right, tho it might look like you were arguing against each other.

Raggamuffin wrote:

WhoseYourWolfie wrote:


I agree...

While the "syndrome" itself most likely does exist,  I reckon that O/P is actually overstating the real situation and blowing things out of all proportion..

Giving yet another excuse for lazy fat-arsed wastrels to explain away their own incompetencies and inadequacies.

P.S.  And, contrary to the lies being peddled in the O/P,  women actually start up more businesses, in total, than men --  and have better survival rates..

Not all lazy women have fat arses - you're being sexist again. What's your excuse anyway?