Feeling Like a Fraud
Acknowledging and Combating Imposter Syndrome in the Workplace
A great mentor of mine once said, “They can’t be what they can’t see.” He is an educator who has dedicated his life to fighting educational inequity (shout out to Ed Brewster).
I have spent my career in several industries and it turns out this message is universal. It doesn’t matter whether you are in the classroom or the boardroom — it is difficult to accomplish something that has never been accomplished by someone who shares your background. That background could be based on race, class, gender, sexuality, or socioeconomic status.
Lack of representation can turn into a barrier of success. The barrier is described as Imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome has negative effects on potential talent. The phenomenon discourages people of color from pursuing their dreams and reaching their full potential. Fortunately there are several steps companies can take to combat Imposter syndrome and create welcoming workspaces for people of color.
Am I Good Enough?
I am a woman of color and I have battled with imposter syndrome for my life entire life.
Picture twelve year-old Rosa. I was extremely quiet, curious, and a little rebellious. I thought baseball was really cool and I made my mom sign me up for a local baseball summer camp — even though it was a boys-only program.
I played with the boys but remember feeling like an outsider. I didn’t feel like I would ever be as good as they were. They were white. They were male. I also had this strange fear that if I would embarrass myself if I tried to reach my potential and failed. My accomplishments wouldn’t really matter. I was black. I was a female. I was different.
At the time, I couldn’t think of any little black girls who had been in my shoes. I didn’t dare to ask my friends to come to baseball camp with me either. I knew I would either be ridiculed, discouraged, or both.
When minorities don’t see themselves represented, they lose the ability to see what is possible.
Thankfully Mo’Ne Davis made an amazing appearance in 2014. She was one of two girls to play in that the 2014 Little League World Series and the first African American girl to ever play in the series.
“When minorities don’t see themselves represented, they lose the ability to see what is possible.”
There are now thousands of little black and brown girls who will be able to picture themselves on the baseball field. When minorities can reach their full potential, all of us can benefit. Representation matters and elevates the quality of all of our lives.
Imposter Syndrome in Tech
People of color in the technology sector battle with imposter syndrome. Imagine an African-American teenager named Cassandra went to a competitive high school and graduated at the top of her class. She gets accepted to a competitive university and decides to enroll in the computer science program. Cassandra spends her summers interning at multiple tech companies. Four years later, Cassandra is lucky enough to get hired by a startup before graduating college.
Cassandra not only looks incredible on paper but has acquired the skills to compete with the Valley’s best technologists. So what is the problem?
Cassandra has likely endured long days of stress, anxiety, and isolation on her path to success. Many of Cassandra’s friends of color might have dropped out of the major and entered different programs. Cassandra’s friends of color that graduated with a degree in computer science might not be as fortunate as her and will likely struggle to find employment.
Studies show that technical skills are not enough to land you a job in a competitive marketplace. People in tech rely on networks to acquire new opportunities. If you don’t have the knowledge or cultural similarities to maneuver through these networks, you will be excluded from these opportunities.
“Studies show that technical skills are not enough to land you a job in a competitive marketplace. People in tech rely on networks to acquire new opportunities.”
Cassandra might spend the first years of her career in the tech industry but could consider leaving. Cassandra will continue to endure the burden of stress, isolation, and lack of cultural diversity in the workplace under these conditions.
#UnlockTheMagic
There are a couple of reasons why companies should combat imposter syndrome among minorities and create more inviting workspaces for people of color:
1. People of color are some of the nation’s most active consumers
2. Black and Latinx people place a high value on their visible goods
3. People of color will be the majority in the year 2040 and the main consumers of products in the industry
People of color have proven to be powerful consumers. Black and Latinx people could be even more influential as producers of technology. Diversity and inclusion is something industry leaders should care about if they would like to stay competitive in our fast growing economy.
#ProtectTheMagic
There are several steps companies can take to combat the effects of imposter syndrome for their employees of color:
1. Recruit, hire, and maintain diverse talent among your teams
Getting people of color into tech companies is one challenge but encouraging them to stay is another. Employers should invest the time and energy into creating and maintaining diverse teams. Asana, an organization that creates applications to help teams track their work recently hired a Diversity and Inclusion Lead (Sonja Gittens-Ottley). Asana and talks publicly about their intentions and creates focused and ambitious goals. Products created in Silicon Valley serve a wide variety of people. Underrepresented people, specifically Black and Latinx folks, should have a seat at the table too.
2. Create safe spaces for minorities to coexist with their counterparts
Make inclusion a priority at your organization. Set the tone for tolerance of all people very early on. Make sure your employees understand the benefits of a inclusive space and find ways to incorporate initiatives into your training, professional development, and events.
3. Facilitate and encourage meaningful and challenging conversations in the workplace
Difficult conversations are typically avoided at all costs. Cultivate and encourage hard conversations in the workplace. Several organizations are making great efforts to facilitate hard conversations. Jopwell, an organization focused on digital diversity recruitment, recently held a town hall for its community members after the election of Donald Trump. Use current events as a starting point. Understand what people are concerned about and create a safe space for discussion.
These steps can help reduce imposter syndrome and improve diversity in the workplace. Leaders in technology can initiate meaningful change by talking with friends, family members, and colleagues about their experiences and accepting critique from their peers.
I encourage leaders to facilitate these difficult conversations on race in the professional world. These conversations can be uplifting and illuminating. I have hope that leaders will make the industry more inclusive and inviting for people of color.
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Rosa is an advocate for inclusion in tech, educational equity, and prison reform. She enjoys working with people who share her passion for social justice and giving back to her community.
