Many women are uncomfortable with the concept of self-promotion. In fact, one of the most packed seminars I ever attended was called the “impostor syndrome”. If you are unfamiliar with the definition – here it is from Wikipedia:
The Impostor Syndrome, sometimes called Impostor Phenomenon or Fraud Syndrome, is a psychological phenomenon in which people are unable to internalize their accomplishments. It is not an officially recognized psychological disorder but has been the subject of numerous books and articles by psychologists and educators.
Regardless of what level of success they may have achieved in their chosen field of work or study or what external proof they may have of their competence, those with the syndrome remain convinced internally they do not deserve the success they have achieved and are actually frauds. Proof of success is dismissed as luck, timing, or as a result of deceiving others into thinking they were more intelligent and competent than they believe themselves to be.
This syndrome was thought to be particularly common among women who are successful in their given careers, but has since been shown to occur for an equal number of men. It is typically associated with academics and is widely found amongst graduate students.
Many working mothers suffer from self-doubt and it is a constant struggle to find balance. Maybe because we fear that others have more time to dedicate to one area of their lives, for example, the office. The truth is that people with a great deal on their plates tend to be more productive. They don’t have to be working mothers, but they are people with discipline and priorities. In other words, people who don’t have time to procrastinate.
Women in general need to be a little better at talking themselves up. Consider this blog post from Clay Shirky (Warning: foul language in the Shirky blog post) called Rant About Women I stumbled onto via Twitter. I know nothing at all about the author of this well written article and can not vouch for its authenticity. However, I found his seemingly first-hand account of the career achievement differences between men and women in his own corner of the world a worthwhile read. It may open up readers to new possibilities, enjoy.
