Don’t let people push praise away they are entitled to keep - Dr. Terri Simpkin

Dr. Terri Simpkin - https://www.braverstrongersmarter.com/- presented at a networking lunch 29 August  2019, organised by LIP Steering Committee Member Janine Cullen and the LIP were proudly represented by current and previous cohorts as well as Mentors and host employers.

Dr. Simkin commenced the session with a clear message that the experience is a phenomenon and not a syndrome.  If it was a syndrome the symptoms or consequences would be constant whereas they tend to be episodic and different depending on the environment, e.g. home or professional.

What Imposter Phenomenon IS NOT, is self-doubt, as it exists on a continuum, is not constant and is present there is a feeling of ‘otherness’ which can be as a result of diversity or difference in whatever way. E.g. socioeconomic, disability, gender, race or religion etc.
70% of people will experience Imposter Phenomenon at some stage of their lives and some people experience it every day and it impacts their work and social interactions.
Unlike self-doubt, in Imposter Phenomenon, you never learn from your successes and trust you can repeat the performance when similar experiences or opportunities arise, and repeat the pattern over and over, never learning or trusting yourself and your skills.
From an impact perspective, it can be passed onto our children or the people around us and it comes from Family, School and Societal experiences.
Whilst this particular event and presentation by Dr. Terri Simpkin was aimed at women, Imposter Phenomenon exists in the male populations also, as it comes from a sense of otherness and is not gender based.
Lee Vale confidently gave a vote of thanks on behalf of all women present and ably and professionally represented the LIP in particular. 
We need to praise and offer positive reinforcement when we suspect we are witnessing the phenomenon, but also need to be cognisant that praise can be challenging and make people with Imposter Phenomenon very uncomfortable.
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Regardless, we must gently, and fact based, call out Imposter Phenomenon when we see it happening in our teams and ask people to accept the praise we offer as it is there’s to keep.
You can read more about the event here https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/6355464/why-women-dont-think-theyre-good-enough-to-step-up-at-work/