There is no such thing as “imposter syndrome,” the presumption of incompetence attributed to women, if

This column was initially published on Sophie Gourion’s Linkedin page and was a great success. Sophie Gourion agreed to let us cover it in full.
Sophie Gourion is a feminist activist, gender equality expert and author of children’s books: Girls and boys can do it too (Grund Editions).

“There is no such thing as impostor syndrome”. Behind this deliberately provocative phrase lies a more nuanced reality.

Almost all the clients I have coached have told similar experiences:

• The feeling of being the “quota” woman within a largely male steering committee.
• The requirement to provide twice as much technical information in meetings as their male colleagues is credible.
• A toxic environment where sexist jokes, devaluation and minimization of the work done follow one another.

It’s not all just in their heads. As Michelle Obama sums it up:

“Women have been told for so long that they shouldn’t be in a classroom, a board room, or anywhere where real decisions are made, that when we finally get into the room, we still feel like we don’t deserve our seat at the table. We question our judgment, our abilities and the reasons that brought us to where we are.”

Michelle Obama

A presumption of incompetence

It is society as a whole that creates a presumption of incompetence towards women:

• Female scientists must produce 2.5 times more research and publications to be considered at the same level as their male colleagues.
• Blind auditions favor female musicians, increasing their chances of advancing in the recruiting process by 50% and of being hired by 30%. A quarter of the increase in feminization of American orchestras between 1970 and 1996 is attributed to this practice.
• 57% of women have seen the skills of women in management positions questioned, with derogatory comments such as “She must have slept to get there!” »Or“ I won’t do what she asks of me, she’s a woman!” “.
• Recruiters are more demanding of women, favoring their diplomas and language skills rather than their motivation. For men it’s the opposite: motivation takes precedence.

These women are not victims of impostor syndrome, but just a minority in an environment that makes them feel like they don’t belong.

Female role models and mentors could play an essential role in women’s sense of legitimacy and competence. Rather than paying coaches, companies would do well to realize that the problem is much more systemic than individual.

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Source: Madmoizelle