Ditching Imposter Syndrome

Mental load, burnout, and imposter syndrome create a perfect storm that significantly contributes to the gender pay gap.
In this episode, we delve into some very concerning statistics from the 2024 Imposter Syndrome Research Study that show how these issues disproportionately affect women, leading to chronic stress and limiting their career growth.
The research highlights that over half of female employees are 'very concerned' about burnout, and 31% are at 'high risk'. Many are being driven to exhaustion by a combination of Imposter Syndrome coping strategies, impossible workloads, too many meetings, and juggling household responsibilities alongside their professional lives.
This episode challenges the cultural assumptions that still exist in workplaces, including the outdated notion that leadership roles are designed for people with housewives.
Join Clare as she explores actionable steps to address these systemic and cultural issues and shares practical solutions for a more equitable work environment for everyone.
What We'll Cover:
The combination of mental load, burnout, and imposter syndrome is fuelling the gender pay gap.
Women face a unique perfect storm of challenges that make it harder for them than for men to get promoted.
Mental load often falls disproportionately on women, creating chronic stress, limiting their career growth, and forcing them to quit jobs they love.
The problem with flexible working when you get promoted, and how this is driving the gender pay gap and lack of equity in leadership roles.
Men play a key role in changing the conversation about this in the workplace.
How we need to rethink what 'allyship' really means.
Why organisations need to rewrite the rules on how work works, no longer designing senior positions that rely on outdated assumptions about domestic responsibilities.

Resources For This Episode:
Get the white paper here - www.impostersyndromeresearch.com
How is Imposter Syndrome impacting your organisation? Free diagnostic assessment here.
Look for the 'Escaping The Stress Cycle' course in the Imposter Syndrome Hacks™ App - Get your first 30 days for free
Shownotes: www.DitchingImposterSyndrome.com/podcast/070/

Join In The Discussion:
Here's where we're talking about this in the private forum for the Imposter Syndrome Hacks™ app

Enjoyed This & Want More Around This Topic? Listen To These Episodes:
Episode 67 - New Research: 3 Hidden Causes Of The Gender Pay Gap
Episode 68 - How Women’s Imposter Syndrome Impacts the Gender Pay Gap
Episode 69 - 8 Ways Women Pay for Men’s Imposter Syndrome
Episode 48 - The 3 Pillars Of Imposter...

In this episode, the Ditching Imposter Syndrome takes a bold step into the gender pay gap, looking at 8 ways that men's Imposter Syndrome is preventing pay equality.
What if men’s imposter syndrome is silently shaping workplace culture—and widening the gender pay gap? We reveal findings from the 2024 Imposter Syndrome Research Study, showing how men’s suppressed imposter emotions and maladaptive coping strategies can create toxic dynamics, from micromanagement to exclusionary alpha-male cultures.
Discover eight surprising ways this impacts women’s ability to fulfil their potential and explore how organisations can break these patterns to foster true equity.
Resources from this episode:
Get the white paper here - www.impostersyndromeresearch.com
How is Imposter Syndrome impacting your organisation? Free diagnostic assessment here.
Here's a detailed exploration of the 4 Ps of Imposter Syndrome.
Shownotes: www.DitchingImposterSyndrome.com/podcast/069/

Join in the conversation:
Here's where we're talking about this in the private forum for the Imposter Syndrome Hacks™ app

Want to find out more about this topic? Here are some other episodes to listen to:
The 4 Ps Of Imposter Syndrome
Episode 67 - New Research: 3 Hidden Causes Of The Gender Pay Gap
Episode 68 - How Women’s Imposter Syndrome Impacts the Gender Pay Gap
Episode 70 - The Hidden Link Between Mental Load, Imposter Syndrome and the Gender Pay Gap

In this episode, we dive into the hidden link between women’s imposter syndrome and its impact on the gender pay gap and equity in leadership roles. We’ll explore why, as a result, women are more likely than men to feel they don’t belong in leadership roles, and how this explains why women quit a job they love, meaning you're missing out on their potential.
It’s not their fault, but it’s harming their performance, productivity and wellbeing, as well as costing businesses and the broader economy billions.
Find out why this silent barrier holds women back, how it affects retention of even your best women, and the essential steps leaders need take to support their teams, reduce sabbatical requests, and close the gender pay gap.
Tune in for actionable insights on how addressing this issue proactively an lead to a more equitable, productive, and ultimately profitable workplace.
What you'll cover:
The hidden link between women's Imposter Syndrome and the gender pay gap
Why Imposter Syndrome makes women more likely than men to quit a job they love, even though both sexes experience Imposter Syndrome at similar rates
Why Imposter Syndrome becomes a silent barrier to women getting promoted, but it's not their fault
How Imposter Syndrome affects the retention of your best female employees
The little-known impact on women's personal development, and how performance review systems are failing them
The essential steps leaders need take to support their teams, reduce sabbatical requests, and close the gender pay gap

This episode's shownotes & resources:
Shownotes: www.DitchingImposterSyndrome.com/podcast/068/
Stepping Up To Lead - Students describe this programme as life-changing, in helping them to clear Imposter Syndrome and increase their influence in the organisation.
Get the white paper here - www.impostersyndromeresearch.com
How is Imposter Syndrome impacting your organisation? Free diagnostic assessment here.

Join in the conversation:
Here's where we're talking about this in the private forum for the Imposter Syndrome Hacks™ app

Want more on this topic? Here are some related episodes:
Episode 67 - New Research: 3 Hidden Causes Of The Gender Pay Gap
Episode 69 - Gender Pay Gap: 8 Ways That Women Are Paying The Price for Men’s Imposter Syndrome
Episode 70 - The Hidden Link Between Mental Load, Imposter Syndrome and the Gender Pay Gap
Episode 48 - The 3 Pillars Of Imposter Syndrome & Burnout
Episode 53 - Are You At Risk Of Burnout? What The 4 Ps Of Imposter Syndrome Predict

We've just published the 2024 Imposter Syndrome research study. And part of it looks into the role of imposter syndrome in the gender pay gap and gender equality and diversity initiatives in general.
This episode is a must-listen episode for you if you care about having true equality and diversity at all levels of your organisation and if you're curious about the role that imposter syndrome is playing in that both for men and for women.
These episodes are going to be slightly shorter than usual because there are four of them coming out in one go.
In this episode we're looking at three hidden causes of the gender pay gap, which very few organisations are addressing, which is why we're not making progress.
The shocking update from the Fawcett Society shows that the UK's Gender Pay Gap has actually widened in 2024, so what we're doing isn't working. It's time to find out why.

Show notes & resources:
Episode shownotes: https://www.ditchingimpostersyndrome.com/podcast/067/
Get the white paper here - www.impostersyndromeresearch.com
How is Imposter Syndrome impacting your organisation? Free diagnostic assessment here.
Want to help others to ditch Imposter Syndrome? Find out how to work with Clare to get certified in her inspirational strategies.


Join in the discussion
Here's where we're talking about this in the private forum for the Imposter Syndrome Hacks™ app

This is a special episode today for World Menopause Day.
Did you know that perimenopause is one of the biggest trigger points for imposter syndrome, according to our research study, causing talented women to leave not just their job, but even the career that they loved?
This special episode of the Ditching Imposter Syndrome podcast is both for women who are going through the perimenopause to explain why it's triggering imposter syndrome that may previously have been dormant for you...
... And it's also for those who love them, who work with them, for their employers, to find out how to spot the warning signs that someone might need some additional support to stop the cycle and to create lasting change.
You are losing from your organisation, many of your best women leaders just at the point where they're about to do their best work to make the biggest contribution of their career due to a combination of perimenopause and impostor syndrome.
In this special episode, we're going to talk about how to spot the warning signs that imposter syndrome and perimenopause might be creating a secret storm for yourself or for people you care about. Seven reasons why this happens. This is science based. This is about biology and the research we've done into imposter syndrome.
My top advice, which, spoiler alert, in case you don't get to listen to the end, is do not make drastic decisions. Deal with the root causes instead. And you might be amazed how often that decision then changes.
And we're going to wrap up with what you can do as an employer or a colleague or a loved one. So there is this perfect storm effect that happens between perimenopause and imposter syndrome.
Resources:
The 2024 Imposter Syndrome Research Study - get the white paper
Episode 33: Why Imposter Syndrome Makes Your Mind Go Blank In Meetings
Get certified as an Imposter Syndrome Practitioner or an Imposter Syndrome Master Coach

Key Takeaways:
Perimenopause can significantly trigger dormant imposter syndrome, impacting women's careers and mental health.
Understanding the biological changes during perimenopause is crucial for addressing imposter syndrome effectively.
Employers should recognize the signs of imposter syndrome in talented women during perimenopause.
High cortisol levels due to stress can exacerbate symptoms of both perimenopause and imposter syndrome.
Addressing imposter syndrome can improve workplace performance and support women navigating perimenopause.
Proactively supporting women in clearing imposter syndrome is essential for retaining top talent.