The term “imposter syndrome” (IS) was first coined in 1978, but this psychological phenomenon of crippling self-doubt permeates workplaces even today – particularly among women professionals. In fact, a 2020 KPMG study reported that 75 per cent of female executives admitted to having personally experienced IS at certain points in their career, while 81 per cent believed that they put more pressure on themselves not to fail than men do.

“IS generally shows up when people cannot seem to internalise their competence, even though there is external validation of their success,” explains Lai Han Sam, better known as Sam, a women’s life coach and founder of Lifework Global. “These feelings of inadequacy are persistent, and are coupled with self-talk that minimises their accomplishments.”

While it is natural to occasionally second-guess yourself or face insecurities at work, individuals who experience IS tend to feel more acutely that their achievements are undeserved,