The third speaker during the “Be Your Best Advocate” Ted-style talk at the 7th annual Women of Color and Their Allies (WOCA) event was Karen Walker, Associate Vice President of Consumer Service Operations at Humana (No. 6 on the 2024 Top 50 list). Following a talk on building confidence from BASF’s Jarrod Harden, Walker spoke about overcoming Imposter Syndrome.
Walker’s Experience with Imposter Syndrome
Walker shared her struggle with imposter syndrome during a career transition. Leaving a stable, high-level job, she joined another Fortune 50 company in a non-traditional role. Initially excited, she soon felt overwhelmed and doubted her abilities, even though no one criticized her performance. This self-doubt escalated to the point where she became paralyzed by fear and considered returning to her old job. Walker later identified these feelings as Imposter Syndrome.
“At the time, I didn’t know there was a name for the feelings I was experiencing, but in hindsight, I now recognize I was contending with a legitimate and surprisingly common psychological phenomenon called Imposter Syndrome, also known as perceived fraudulence,” she said.
Imposter Syndrome is when high-achieving individuals, despite their successes, fail to internalize their accomplishments and consistently doubt themselves. This term, first documented in 1978 by psychologist Pauline Rose Clance, encompasses a wide range of experiences. Those affected often have low self-efficacy, neuroticism or perfectionism. Walker highlighted that Imposter Syndrome doesn’t discriminate, affecting 25-30% of high achievers and 70% of adults at some point. It is more prevalent in women, especially women of color, who often face additional societal pressures.
When Perceived Fraudulence is More Likely to Happen
Walker said she was caught off guard when imposter syndrome (IS) reared its ugly head.
“But as the saying goes, knowledge is power,” she said. Walker then explained how women can better deal with Imposter Syndrome if and when it does come up.
Imposter Syndrome is more likely to occur when a new challenge presents itself. That challenge may be:
- A new job
- A similar job at a new company
- A promotion
- Taking on new responsibilities
- Returning to school
- Walker said some of the signs of Imposter Syndrome include:
- A lack of confidence
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Low self-esteem
- Social isolation
“These symptoms can be exacerbated by things like stress and a lack of sleep, which women and high achievers are potentially more prone to, even under the best circumstances, and eventually you may begin to experience burnout or decreased job satisfaction as you work harder and longer hours to overcome the voice in your head that says you’re falling short, in over your head or you simply aren’t cut out for the job,” Walker added.
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
While Imposter Syndrome can be overwhelming, Walker said there are ways to overcome this psychological phenomenon. First, she suggested letting go of perfectionism. It can sometimes have its perks, but it can be detrimental to your self-confidence.
“No one expects you to be perfect, so you should not have that unrealistic expectation of yourself,” she said.
Walker’s other tips for getting through Imposter Syndrome include:
- Lean into your strengths to prevent fear and anxiety from “spiraling out of control.”
- Don’t retreat; reach out. Seek out others for support, wisdom, encouragement and perspective.
- Embrace a growth mindset, not a fixed mindset. Focus on your ability to learn rather than what you already know.
“One of the things I did that only made things worse was start comparing how much I knew, or didn’t know, after a few months on the job versus what my colleagues knew after 10 or 15 years of tenure with the company,” Walker said.
For those struggling with Imposter Syndrome, Walker suggested reminding yourself that “Rome wasn’t built in a day, and you won’t learn everything in your first week or month in a new role.”
“You’ll get there, but it’s not fair to compare your third month of employment to someone’s 20th year of employment,” she said.
Watch the recording for more insights and visit the WOCA 2024 event page for more videos and article recaps.
