Imposter Syndrome
The Imposter Syndrome is a self-sabotaging instinct that leads people, especially women, to believe they are not as competent in what they do as people believe them to be.
Am I the right person to do the job?
When the concept was first introduced in the 1970s, it was mostly applied to describe high-achieving women who always find a way to downplay their success as a stroke of dumb luck, not competence.
Some of the most common signs of Imposter Syndrome include:
A strong sense of self-doubt
Transference of personal achievements and success to external factors
The inability to measure your level of competence
The constant fear that you could fall short of expectations.
Unlike men, women are exceptionally meticulous and pedantic.
With such a formidable combination of qualities, they could perform excellently in business as well. However, when the qualities for excellence are not matched with self-belief, they often self-destruct. Many women are achievers who lack the esteem to accept they could do well or are doing well already.
The burden of Imposter Syndrome is most expressed in the unhealthy pressure it puts on women to perform.
Cultural constructs about business are already stacked against women. As a result, women mount internal pressure on themselves to perform. Unfortunately, even when they succeed, they don't realize it.