By Kathi Barber
Career Development: Your Fundraising Career
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, & Access (IDEA): Diversity and Inclusion (IDEA)
Many people experience imposter syndrome at some point in their professional lives; however, BIPOC fundraisers may experience it differently and for longer periods.
This article is part of an ongoing series on self-care and mental health support for BIPOC fundraisers.
Most people experience thoughts or periods of doubt when it comes to success at work, questioning their career choices or job performance. For some, however, this feeling of doubt runs deeper.
In 1978, psychologists Suzanne Imes and Pauline Rose Clance coined the term “imposter syndrome” and defined it as an “internal experience of intellectual phonies,” based on their work with high-achieving women. IP is a psychological condition—not mental illness—characterized by persistent doubt concerning one’s abilities or accomplishments, accompanied by the fear of being exposed as a fraud despite evidence of one’s ongoing success. While anyone can experience IP, some studies have shown that people of color may face IP more often because of additional pressures and stereotypes in their professional and personal lives.
In her bestseller, Becoming, former First Lady Michelle Obama spoke openly about her struggles with imposter syndrome. She described feeling, at different times during her life, she didn’t belong in certain spaces, questioning whether she was good enough to be there. Obama acknowledged that her accomplishments as First Lady did not completely alleviate her feelings of self-doubt.
So, how does IP show up? What does it look like? According to Psychology Today, as many as 25% to 30% of high achievers experience it. Arguably, a fundraising professional would tend to have a high-achiever mentality. IP impacts both the mind and the body. If you experience any of the following thoughts, actions, or characteristics, you are likely experiencing IP:
- Belief that your success is based on luck, not your actual experience
- Ruminating thoughts of self-doubt
- Persistent fear of being a fraud who will be exposed as a failure
- Perfectionism as a way of being
- Extreme difficulty asking for help
- Internalized criticism, positive or negative, as truth about your work and character
- Setting unreasonable work goals
- Internal belief that a compliment is not true, and you will be “found out”
- Overpreparation
- Debilitating procrastination
- Achievemephobia (fear of success)
- Hyperanxiety
- Inability to relax, decompress, and sleep
- Overindulgence in food, shopping, or drug abuse
- Restricting food intake
- Gastrointestinal issues, including irritable bowel syndrome
The perpetual feeling of inadequacy that IP creates is often compounded by racism. As a result, Black fundraisers may feel like they must work twice as hard to prove themselves and overcome stereotypes about their abilities. This additional pressure can exacerbate feelings of IP and make it even harder for BIPOC to succeed or to feel like they are truly valued and respected in their fields.
It’s no surprise that the combination of feeling like an imposter in white spaces and experiencing microaggressions and discrimination exacerbates these negative effects and also causes intense stress. It’s a vicious cycle, leading to further feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt and perpetuating the cycle of IP and racism.
It’s already well known that BIPOC experience feelings of being inadequate or not belonging, especially in predominantly white industries. Much like the medical field, fundraising has an overwhelming lack of diversity, so much so that BIPOC face barriers that their white peers do not experience. According to The State of Black Women in Corporate America, “Black women are reportedly more likely than other women to be asked to provide evidence of our competence—40% compared to 30% of all women and 14% of men.” This creates a feeling of needing to be more knowledgeable about more topics, all the time.
Further, the report found an alarming statistic that can lead to or exacerbate IP among Black women and can also apply to BIPOC in general: “Fifty-four percent of Black women say they are often ‘Onlys,’ in that they are the only Black person or one of the only Black people in the room at work. Black women who are Onlys are having an especially difficult experience. They are very aware of the fact that they may be seen as representatives of their race, and they are more likely than Onlys of other racial and ethnic groups to feel as though their individual successes and failures will reflect on people like them. This leads to a sense that they are constantly under scrutiny: Black women who are Onlys often report feeling closely watched, on guard, and under increased pressure to perform.”
Strategies to Overcome IP
While this information may seem bleak, BIPOC fundraisers can overcome IP in a number of ways. It involves recognizing and acknowledging your achievements, reframing negative self-talk, seeking support from colleagues and mentors, and developing confidence in your abilities. Here are a few specific strategies:
- Breathe. Sometimes we do not realize that we are holding our breath until we take a deep breath. Taking moments to focus on breathing can be cleansing and help reset recurring ruminations in the moment.
- Find and use your support system. It is so important to find a support system so you can safely discuss feelings of inadequacy and failure. Since self-judgment exacerbates IP, having a safe space to share is critical. This can be with a therapist or supportive friends and family.
- Develop a self-care/wellness plan. Having a wellness plan is not just important for overall mental and physical health. It also creates a positive mindset that can help to reduce anxiety and stress at work and at home.
- Applaud your achievements. It’s easy to focus on failure. But you have to put as much or more focus on your achievements. By noticing the positive, even small moments, IP thoughts can be neutralized. When we begin to train our minds to have healthier thoughts, IP can be managed and overcome.
- Rediscover joy. Find joy in other areas of life, outside of the work environment. Do the things that make you feel good and do them often. When you do, feel-good hormones—serotonin, dopamine, endorphins, and oxytocin—help to promote sustained happiness by reducing stress, depression, and anxiety.
As a final note, Birgit Smith Burton, executive director of the African American Development Officers Network and chair of AFP’s global board, recently weighed in on IP in fundraising. During her presentation, “The Accidental Fundraiser,” Burton said, “No matter how successful or confident you are, everyone has even a moment of self-doubt. Being our authentic selves can sometimes make us feel like we are a fraud when some interpret that vulnerability as a distraction to keep our lack of knowledge from being exposed. As Black women, we must deal with so many stereotypes that hold us back and cause us to question ourselves, ‘Do I really know this? Or am I just faking it until I make it?’ Like the ‘angry Black woman’ characterization that puts us on edge out of a fear that if we challenge or question anything, it’s because we are by nature argumentative.
“This imposter phenomenon can make even the most self-assured and high-achieving person doubt their competence and ability to do what they 100% know they do well.”
It’s this last sentence that we should embrace. IP may be an ongoing challenge we all face—and BIPOC fundraisers especially—but we are not alone in this. And despite what our own doubts and fears may want to tell us, we are enough.
Sources:
The State of Black Women in Corporate America. leanin.org/research/state-of-black-women-in-corporate-america
“Impostor syndrome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impostor%20syndrome. Accessed 14 July 2023.
(AFP Global. (n.d.). IDEA: Managing imposter syndrome. Association of Fundraising Professionals.)