The Impostor Phenomenon

Diversity Matters with Oscar Holmes IV

Season 3 Episode 3

Episode Title: The Imposter Phenomenon 

Guest: Dr. Angélica Gutiérrez

 

Diversity Matters with Oscar Holmes IV is a podcast that explores all things diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) related. In each episode, Oscar and his guests have lively discussions around DEI topics, explore the latest research on the topic, and discuss the implications so that listeners will be more knowledgeable about the topics and be able to apply the insights to their lives.

 

Show Summary: “We need to start changing the narrative, stop thinking about the individual as the issue, and start examining how these environments are triggering the impostorization of individuals..”

 

In any field or industry, people commonly experience insecurity, the perception of being a fraud and undeserving of all their triumphs and accomplishments. They genuinely doubt their achievements. It has become an ordinary reality to most of us, especially those who have successfully attained their goals or desired profession. We call this the Imposter Syndrome. 

 

To Dr. Angélica Gutiérrez, an Associate Professor of Management at Loyola Marymount University, and a contributor for Inc. Magazine, while working on her research, she refers to it as The Imposter Phenomenon to avoid the stigma and create a safe space for people to express their experience with it. 

 

In her research, she realized that most articles and discussions on this topic tend to focus on the individual viewed solely as the issue. Thus the strategies that they promote to counter this phenomenon are often fixed to an individual approach. Hence, she coined the term ‘Impostorization’, which means considering the role of the environment and how it triggers the imposter feeling. 

 

Dr. Gutiérrez talks more about the policies and practices of organizations that can lead to people questioning their intelligence, competence, and sense of belonging in the spaces they occupy. She also talks about the critical importance of how these institutions can help in avoiding impostorization among their people. 

3 Exceptional Highlights:

 

• Relationships are so meaningful. And the intentions that you have behind the feedback are so essential for people in organizations, particularly the Latinx and African American communities, because you need to be aware of the stereotypes that are out there that create this impostorization for us.
• Extensive research finds that in many organizations, these standards of professionalism tend to be very narrowly defined. A lot of organizations are encouraging employees to bring their authentic selves to work. But when they show up as our true selves, they're asked to modify who they are.
• Some studies find that low self-esteem is highly correlated with the imposter phenomenon. But they're distinct constructs.

 

Show Highlights: 

 

The importance of changing the narrative in impostorization

 

13:38 Dr. Angélica Gutiérrez

 

• Strategies and effectiveness may be minimal if you're feeling like an impostor because of your environment and the organizations you belong to. 

 

14:40 Dr. Angélica Gutiérrez

 

• It's crucial to change the narrative and stop thinking about an individual as the main issue and start examining how these environments are triggering the impostorization of a person and how we can work around that.

 

How to give critical constructive feedback without triggering impostorization

 

17:26 Dr. Angélica Gutiérrez

 

• You can express what you think is essential in the person's work and let them know that there are different ways that they can strengthen it. You deliver the message in a more effective developmental way than using atrocious words.

18:44 Dr. Angélica Gutiérrez

 

• You can start establishing a good relationship with your students or employees to feel comfortable with you, and they can trust that you have their best interest at heart.

The irony and connection of authenticity and impostorization

 

20:51 Dr. Angélica Gutiérrez

 

• Impostorization comes in when the organization is not receptive to an employee's authenticity. 

 

22:30  Dr. Angélica Gutiérrez

 

• Most organizations don't recognize that how we pronounce our name is connected with our identity and sense of authenticity. By asking us to use a nickname or anglicizing our name can lead to impostorization. 

 

Eliminating impostorization in organizations

 

30:10 Dr. Angélica Gutiérrez

 

• Carefully examine how their existing policies and practices and how they do business may be inadvertently causing employees to feel like they don't belong in that environment. 

 

30:58 Dr. Angélica Gutiérrez

 

• Pay disparity. Suppose an employee performs the same work as somebody else in the organization, and they discover that they're getting paid less than their counterpart. In that case, that can lead that employee to question their value to the company.

 

Important Links:

 

Dr. Angélica Gutiérrez

The Imposter Phenomenon

Think Again by Adam Grant

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WH Consulting Firm

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