As with so many of us, I'm not immune to suffering imposter syndrome. In this talk, I'll cover off why encountering imposter syndrome is perfectly normal in our profession, how it can manifest itself and how to overcome it.

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I’m a Fraud: Imposter
Syndrome in Marketing
& Why You’re Not Alone
By Bradley Webster
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Raise your hand if:
• You know what imposter
syndrome is?
USER
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• You have experienced
symptoms of imposter
syndrome?
• You feel you have the
resources and capabilities
to help effectively manage
these symptoms?

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How many people
experience
imposter
syndrome…
According to a national study* of
3,000 UK adults, 62% of us have
experienced imposter syndrome at
work in the past 12 months.
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Source –
https://fundingguru.com/blog/national-study-62-of-uk-adults
-experiencing-imposter-syndrome-at-work

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There are above average imposter syndrome rates in
creative industries
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Industry % of workers who’ve experienced
imposter syndrome
Creative arts and design 86.96%
Information research and
analysis
78.57%
Sales 62.96%
Marketing, advertising
and PR
62.50%
Hospitality and events
management
62.30%
Leisure, sport and tourism 44.83%
Source –
https://fundingguru.com/blog/national-study-62-of-uk-a
dults-experiencing-imposter-syndrome-at-work

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Imposter syndrome affects women more than men
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Source–
https://fundingguru.com/blog/national-study-62-of-uk-adults-e
xperiencing-imposter-syndrome-at-work

6. x
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What is imposter
syndrome?
x

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Imposter
syndrome is…
“…a behavioural health phenomenon
described as self-doubt of intellect,
skills, or accomplishments among
high-achieving individuals.”
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Source–
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK585058/.

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Interest in imposter syndrome has continually risen
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1978
Source– https://trends.google.com/ &
https://scholar.google.com/

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Imposter syndrome can feel like:
• Feelings of self-doubt
• Physical manifestations
• Under-valuing contributions
• Sabotaging success
• Isolation and alienation
• Low mood
• Burnout and lack of energy
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The five types of imposter syndrome
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herd.io Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK585058/
The perfectionist
• Unattainable
standards and
hyper-competitive
behaviours
• Negative feedback
loop
Super-heroism
• Over-preparation
• A need to be the best
Atychiphobia (fear of
failure)
• Experience anxiety
and fear when faced
with a task
• Fear being shamed if
they perform worse
Acheivemephobia
(fear of success)
• Difficulty recognizing
successes
• Worries of success
leading to higher
expectations
Denial of competence
• Discounting of
abilities
• Relate success to
external influence or
random chance

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The imposter syndrome cycle
USER
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A new task
The response
The response can be broken down into
two actions:
● Over-preparation
● Procrastination
Completion of the task
Feeling like a fraud
Rationalisation
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02 03
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Causes of imposter
syndrome
x

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Psychological
Primary causes of imposter syndrome:
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Sociological Environmental

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Change can also trigger symptoms

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The link between imposter syndrome and mental health
USER
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Imposter Syndrome
Mental Health

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Causes of imposter
syndrome in
marketing
x

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A focus on data and KPIs
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A rise in hussle culture
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A right answer doesn’t always exist
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An ever-changing landscape
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Specialisms and generalisms
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Internal and external expectations
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Imposter syndrome isn’t all bad
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Imposter syndrome can:
•Push you (within reason)
•Help you learn new skills
•Encourage self-awareness
•Improve empathy

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Managing feelings
of imposter
syndrome
x

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Practice gratitude exercises

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Create a personal folder for praise

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Build a support network of like minded people

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Be your own best friend

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Review your work life balance

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Consider counselling or CBT

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How to be more mindful of your colleagues
in a working environment
• Create an open line of
communication
• Provide constructive feedback
• Normalise feelings of self doubt
• Celebrate success

33. x
Let’s do some role play
Name: Myles Morales
Occupation: Superhero in training
Situation: Myles is working alongside Peter Parker to help save
New York city from its latest threat.
Imposter syndrome thoughts:
• Comparing himself to Spider-Man
• Underplaying his successes
• Being overly critical of his performance
What could Myles do:
• Reframe the narrative
• Make a list of successes
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help
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...I’m not good
enough…

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Thank you
> Any questions?
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