Session Details

‘Faking it’: A deeper dive into the Impostor Phenomenon

Delivered by: Dr Terri Simpkin

The impostor phenomenon (IP) is the topic of a raft of current research around the globe.  Much exploration of the experience is focussed on the experience of people in academia including faculty and students across different disciplines.

However, very little examination of how personal experiences of IP are determined and perpetuated as explained by the Clance Impostor Cycle (Clance, 1985) has been published to date.  So too, the impact of workplace and societal structures is largely absent from the discussion about individual experiences of IP.

Join Dr Terri Simpkin as she invites participants to delve deeper into the mechanics of the impostor experience to better understand the cyclical nature of the phenomenon.  A discussion and activity-based session builds on the introductory ‘myth busting’ session to enhance understanding as a precursor to developing personal responses to feelings of intellectual fraudulence.

Indicative Content

A more focused and interactive follow-up to the introductory session, this programme explores the ways in which IP behaviours and thought patterns can become entrenched in an ‘impostor cycle’ (Clance, 1985).  The session enables attendees to examine how the cycle might manifest in recurring thoughts, feelings and behaviours, particularly at work.  The session also introduces the notion of ‘unpicking’ the platform ‘stories’ on which impostor phenomenon thrives.

Indicative development outcomes:

Attendees will -

• Briefly reconnect with content from the first ‘myth busting’ session,

• Explore the IP cycle in more depth with collaborative activities to help identify how it might impact individuals and their relationships with others, particularly in the workplace,

• Identify how latent potential can be diminished by cyclical impostor experiences,

• Examine personal and workplace barriers to productivity, potential and achievement; and

• Discuss ways to pre-empt feelings, thoughts and behaviours, and consider actions to diminish the impact of IP over time.

The session will include opportunities to discuss personal stories, to ask questions and interact with others.  It is intended for those who have already attended the initial ‘myth busting’ session.