Imposter Syndrome or Imposter Phenomenon was originally conceptualised in a 1978 study. The terms refers to objectively competent and high-achieving individuals who tend to downplay and undermine their own accomplishments – often attributing their success to luck rather than their own hard work, and living in fear that someone might call them out as a phoney or fraud.
That voice in your head telling you “you’re not good enough” or that “you’re a fake, a fraud” is real and chances are you may be feeling the effects of imposter syndrome.
For people of colour, this condition is particularly real as they are often reminded by society that they don’t really belong among the elite group of high-achievers and go-getters.
If you’re a person of colour, it’s quite likely that you have experienced this, no matter what aspect of life it may be. From your social circle to your office to even a classroom or boardroom, you’ve probably experienced the notion that you’re not as capable as others and bound to fail at some point.
Does imposter syndrome hit people of colour harder?
Africans, blacks and Latinas are 10-20% more likely to experience serious psychological distress due to imposter syndrome.
Black women, for example, live in a society that constantly reminds them “you are not worthy of professional success”. Even on the job, black people are paid less, get less opportunity for professional development and are given less access to supervisory support than their white and Asian counterparts.
So it’s no wonder that people of colour, no matter how skilled or experienced they may be, or how much they may have accomplished – still feel like they don’t belong or that they will never be good enough.
How to deal with imposter syndrome
Many discussions revolving around imposter syndrome today focus solely on how people of colour can recover from it, rather than how to minimise its occurrence in the first place. This may be due to the fact that in the field of psychology, clinical trials do not usually include people of colour and the team or surveyors responsible for conducting the study are almost always privileged white people.
Unfortunately, the societal and structural reasons that exist today have increased imposter syndrome among underrepresented population groups, and as such, they are always told to either “get over it” or “go with the flow”.
Employers can certainly help to ease this burden by offering equal opportunities. More companies are offering POC diversity programmes to ensure that they are getting the recognition they deserve. These programmes have mostly proven affective, especially if a person of colour has been involved with the structuring and delivery of the programme.
If you’re struggling with imposter syndrome as a person of colour, it may be helpful to remind yourself of who you are and what you have achieved. Also, consider the achievements of other people of colour who have broken barriers and records. They have already been in your shoes and created a space for you to follow.
Take inspiration and stay positive!