Sufferers of Imposter Syndrome feel that their accomplishments arise from some stroke of luck rather than because of their competencies and are often struck by fear of ‘being found out’ as not being that competent. But, is Imposter Syndrome really something that only certain individuals suffer from and must handle on their own? Maybe not. Speaking with Ignites Europe, Sunny Lee discussed how she thinks organisations should tackle Imposter Syndrome as a collective.

Research indicates that 70% of people will experience the feeling of Imposter Syndrome at some point in their life, a feeling which has only been amplified during the pandemic, especially in the financial services.   

Sunny explains that looking at Imposter Syndrome on an individual level and making it something deeply personal, and often associated with women is perpetuating stereotypes and exacerbating the problem. She suggests it can desensitise employers’ response to it and prevent employers from understanding the syndrome at an organisational level.  

Many suffers of Imposter Syndrome do not understand the phenomenon and therefore are unable to reach out and get the right support. Sunny suggests this lack of knowledge and awareness may explain why the syndrome has not received enough recognition in the workplace. She explains that for organisations to engage with their employees experiencing the problem and preventing it in the future, the culture must change. Asset Management firms must create a safe space for people to discuss their feeling surrounding the syndrome and encourage more inclusion and diversity within teams to and discourage extreme competition between colleagues.

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