Have you ever harbored persistent feelings of self-doubt despite the successes you’ve achieved? Initially coined in the ‘70s, this phenomenon has a name—Imposter Syndrome—and though it tends to disproportionately affect those in underrepresented groups in tech, it is quite widespread across the industry. (A 2018 study reported that 58% of all tech workers feel this way!)
Unfortunately, it’s not something that we can make magically go away—in fact a lot of folks may feel it many years into their career. On a good note, however, it is something we can manage and harness in a positive way for growth and learning, as discussed in this TED talk by Mike Cannon-Brookes, who founded and runs the tech behemoth, Atlassian. (Yes, even CEOs can have Imposter Syndrome!)
Even if you don’t experience this phenomenon personally, it’s still worth understanding so you can keep an eye out for it in friends and peers and help them manage it. A good first start to managing Imposter Syndrome may be to speak with your peers and mentors who are or have experienced it.
Please answer the below prompts in your assignment submission:
- Have you every felt Imposter Syndrome yourself and, if you’re comfortable sharing, how did it manifest itself? What, if anything, has helped you mitigate these feelings?
- What do you think are some of the immediate or long-term effects of Imposter Syndrome if left unchecked?
When you’ve completed your Coding Assignment, and have read and thought about the mindset questions above, submit ALL of your assignments (coding and mindset) using: