Did you ever have a moment where you doubted your abilities or your right to have a certain position?
That feeling of self-doubt, insecurity and the pervasive feeling of not belonging, called Imposter Syndrome, can make it hard to thrive at work. What might surprise you is that you may not even realize you're experiencing it. Its symptoms can often be so common that they're easily overlooked or even normalized by those around you, including friends and coworkers.
Impostor Syndrome is a phenomenon that occurs when an employee believes they don't really deserve the position, pay or acknowledgment they worked so hard to attain. It's an overwhelming feeling that you are fraudulent when it comes to your skills, knowledge and experience.
While Imposter Syndrome is not an official mental disorder according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, it's pervasive in a way that is hard to ignore. It's a damaging little voice that reminds you that you don't belong — or worse, that you're not actually capable of doing the job for which you were hired.
Suffering from Impostor Syndrome often manifests in a wide range of ways during a typical workday. A simple meeting can inexplicably raise your anxiety level. It may make you guarded about your work or force you to obsessively check every little detail. Having low self-esteem goes hand-in-hand with Impostor Syndrome. You might simply assume that you got lucky whenever someone congratulates you on something. When you're away from work, you might find yourself obsessing over even the smallest flaw in your performance. People are experiencing Impostor Syndrome in record numbers.
Waking up to Imposter Syndrome
Working in the industrial sector means that most coworkers are going to be male. According to the Word Woman Foundation, the O&G refinery industries remain some of the most gender-divided industries in the world. Imposter Syndrome disproportionately affects women, especially in industries where they are still underrepresented.
According to Entrepreneur magazine, these fields tend to be the most affected by this issue — and it can have significant consequences for professionals like me. This syndrome can make you forgo opportunities, avoid asking for raises or even sidestep advocating for yourself. Even though Impostor Syndrome is beginning to become a mainstream topic, I never really thought I suffered from it until recently.
A life-changing luncheon
Have you ever had a moment where you really, truly did not realize how stressed you were? It wakes you up like a bucket of cold water poured on your face. It can even change your perspective on life altogether. Recently, I had my "wake-up" moment when it came to my own Imposter Syndrome experience.
As a female professional in the notoriously male-dominated O&G industry, I never realized the impact Imposter Syndrome had on me until I heard Chevron Pasadena Refinery GM Tifanie Steele discuss it at a recent luncheon. Hearing her speak opened my eyes. Her story resonated with me. I experienced those very same feelings she spoke of, but it never really sank in until then. It was then I realized that I wasn't alone in the industry.
Other women at the luncheon sat around, nodding quietly as she spoke. Looking around the room, it startled me to see so many brilliant, talented women who were just as impacted by her speech as I was. It shocked me that so many women that I deeply admire could also be suffering from this syndrome.
As a woman working in the industrial sector, I find it hard not to struggle with feelings of inadequacy and exclusion. Even though I'm generally a positive person, the battle to overcome negativity can be difficult to handle.
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome together
Being the only woman in the room can feel isolating and, at times, intimidating. This is exactly why women in our industry must support one another to overcome the challenges of Imposter Syndrome. Together, we can rise above it. Now is the time to break through the Imposter Syndrome barrier. As women in the industry, we owe it to ourselves — and each other — to uplift, celebrate and encourage one another's successes. Let's do this together.
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