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Elevating Confidence: Implications of Impostor Syndrome Elevating Confidence: Implications of Impostor Syndrome Amber Hoefer Coordinator for Orientation Programs, Orientation & Transition Programs Colorado State University Karen M. Ganss Assistant Director, Utah Center for Rural Health Southern Utah University Session Overview • What is impostor syndrome? • History of impostor syndrome • Key research • Personal definition & internal reflection • Strategies for overcoming impostor syndrome • Mentoring rising leaders • Takeaway(s) 2015 NODA Annual Conference 2 What is Impostor Syndrome? • Psychology – A cognitive distortion that prevents a person from internalizing any sense of accomplishment – Fear of being discovered to be a fraud – Attributes success to luck rather than skill • Higher education (faculty-specific) – Shock attributed to events such as being published in a top journal or receiving tenure • Valerie Young, Ed.D. – “people who have a persistent belief in their lack of intelligence, skills, or competence” (Young, p. 16) – Impostor syndrome does not equal low self-esteem 2015 NODA Annual Conference 3 History of Impostor Syndrome • Clance & Imes, Psychotherapy, 1978 – Phenomenon prevalent in 150 high-achieving women – First research done with ties to culture and gender – 1980’s-Clance and Matthews discover that 70% of people (men and women) have felt like impostors in their career • Swedish Immunologists Wenneras & Wold, 1997 – Discovered for women scientists, it is two and a half times more difficult for women to succeed than men • Valerie Young, 2011 – The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women – Helping successful women to FEEL successful 2015 NODA Annual Conference 4 Key Research • Gender-specific research – Females internalize criticism and externalize success – Males-externalize criticism and internalize success – Oprah Winfrey & Sheryl Sandberg Video • Population-based examples and research – First-Year College Students – New Graduate Students/ Graduate Assistants – Underrepresented Minority Students (STEM specific) – Applicable to first-generation students, minority students, rural students…others? 2015 NODA Annual Conference 5 2015 NODA Annual Conference 6 “It’s almost like the better I do, the more my feeling of inadequacy actually increases, because I’m just going, Any moment, someone’s going to find out I’m a total fraud, and that I don’t deserve any of what I’ve achieved.” – Emma Watson 2015 NODA Annual Conference 7 “I still doubt myself every single day. What people believe is my self- confidence is actually my reaction to fear.” – Will Smith 2015 NODA Annual Conference 8 Reflection • Given past research and definitions, what does impostor syndrome mean to you personally? • Identify one point in your life up until this point when you doubted your success? • Have you ever avoided taking on an opportunity because of nagging self-doubt? If yes, please describe. 2015 NODA Annual Conference 9 Strategies for Overcoming Impostor Syndrome • Literature review suggestions – Know your skills and be secure in them – Fake it until you make it, don’t wait for feelings of confidence – “Your fear of being inadequate pales compared with your fear of being extraordinary” (Young, p. 243) – Accept praise – Be aware of your own self-perception • Additions from the audience • Implications at your institution 2015 NODA Annual Conference 10 Mentoring Rising Leaders • Many individuals cite that mentoring can be a “cure” for impostor syndrome, both from the mentor and mentee perspective • The power of leading by example – Feel, believe, and act that you are indeed just as capable, successful, and intelligent as others thing you are – When a mentor praises their mentee, this allows the mentee to internalize these positive emotions • Is this happening in your OTR program? On your campus? How? 2015 NODA Annual Conference 11 List of Rights & Additional Resources • The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women by Valerie Young • Feeling Like a Fraud by Peggy McIntosh You have the right to… Say no without feeling guilty Make mistakes or be right Express pride in your accomplishments Have an off day or not perform perfectly Fail and learn from the experience Be treated fairly without discrimination of identity To say “I don’t understand” To not be the spokesperson for my entire race, culture, gender, etc. 2015 NODA Annual Conference 12 References Cabane, O. F. (2012). Do you suffer from impostor syndrome? The Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/olivia-fox-cabane/self-doubt_b_1373542.html. Clance, P. R. & Imes, S. (1978). The imposter phenomenon in high achieving women: Dynamics and therapeutic intervention. Psychotherapy Theory, Research and Practice 15(3). 1-8. Retrieved from http://www.paulineroseclance.com/pdf/ip_high_achieving_women.pdf. Gill, J. (2013, June 16). How I cured my imposter syndrome [Web blog post]. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved from http://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/university-venus/how-i-cured-my-imposter-syndrome. Gravois, J. (2007). You’re Not Fooling Anyone. Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from http://chronicle.com/article/Youre-Not-Fooling-Anyone/28069/. Hiebert, B., Uhlemann, M. R., Marshall, A., & Lee, D. Y (1998). The relationship between self-talk, anxiety, and counselling skill. Canadian Journal of Counselling, 32, 163-171. McIntosh, P. (1985). Feeling like a fraud. Wellesley Centers For Women. Retrieved from http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic857636.files/Fraud%20I.pdf. Kasper, J. (2013). An Academic With Imposter Syndrome. Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from http://chronicle.com/article/An-Academic-With-Impostor/138231/. Tinto, V. (1982). Defining dropout: A matter of perspective. In E.T. Pascarella (Ed.), Student Attrition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Tinto, V. (1988). Stages of student departure. Reflections on the longitudinal character of student leaving. Journal of Higher Education, 59, 438-455. Upcraft, M. L., Gardner J. N., & Barefoot, B. O. (2005). Challenging and supporting the first-year student: A handbook for improving the first year of college. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Whalen, D. F., & Shelley II, M. C. (2010). Academic success for stem and non-stem majors. Journal of STEM Education, 11, p. 45-60. White, J. & Nonnamaker, J. (2011). Supervising graduate assistants. New Directions for Student Services, 136, 43-54. doi: 10.1002/ss.413 Winfrey, O. & Sandberg, S. (2013, March, 24). Exclusive: The Best Speech Sheryl Sandberg Ever Heard. [YouTube Video File]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qcv8HCUkOII Williams, E. N., Hurley, K., O'Brien, K., & DeGregorio, A. (2003). Development and validation of the self-awareness and management strategies (SAMS) scales for therapists. Psychotherapy: Theory. Research, Practice, Training, 40, 278-288. doi: 10.1037/0033-3204.40.4.278 Young, V. (2011). The secret thoughts of successful women: Why capable people suffer from the impostor syndrome and how to thrive in spite of it. New York: Crown Business. 13 2015 NODA Annual Conference Amber Hoefer [email protected] 970-491-4184 Karen Ganss [email protected] 435-865-8660 14 .
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