Page 36 - Adnews magazine Sep-Oct 2022

Investigation
space’, are ‘too loud’, or worse, are labelled with the dreaded ‘bossy’ title.
“As a result, an individual’s incli- nation to spruik their skills or nego- tiate their worth erodes with time.
“It’s been shown that these issues deepen during the mum years because of the biological impacts of being pregnant, child- birth, feeding, sleep deprivation, primary caring and more.
“I read that the same chemicals that make you bond with your child, reduce your sense of self and self-confidence – and that typically, it takes up to 10 years after birth for a woman to re-establish that sense of identity. So it would seem it’s no coincidence that it’s also during these prime years that women tend to lose career velocity.
“Saying Imposter Syndrome is to blame puts the onus on the indi- viduals to resolve. It frames the
issue as an ailment in need of a singular, personal remedy, when really, I feel it’s a symptom of a systematic problem. A symptom of cultures and structures that need to be actively dismantled to create more inclusive and diverse environments.
“To create meaningful and sustainable impact, we need to take stock of the underlying conditions, re-evaluate ‘the rules’ and meet women where they are – and for who they are.”
Justine Leong, general manager of Sydney at whiteGREY: “I moved from the BBC to my first agency role as an account director full of excite- ment and ready to take on the world. That was until a very senior creative swiftly told me, ‘You won’t last a month’. Cue second guessing my place in the agency and my new industry.
“Imposter syndrome is only an issue if leaders don’t build safe, sup- portive, diverse environments – the best context to operate in. Perhaps then we can help people manage imposter syndrome so they, and their organisation, fulfil their potential.
“I’m a self-confessed introvert in what sometimes feels like an industry of extroverts. If we have a bias to celebrate those who more readily jump into the spotlight, this can fuel imposter syndrome. If introverts don’t live up to the industry’s perception of what a successful person looks like, self-doubt can be triggered. It’s about performance cultures over popularity contests.
“Being an outsider fuels imposter syndrome. Feeling like a fraud (despite being capable) can be more pronounced if you sense you don’t belong. If you’re the only one in the room (the only woman, the only person of colour, the only person with a disability, etc) then you’re going to feel like you shouldn’t be there. Imposter syndrome isn’t just in our minds, it’s in what we see as well. More reasons to be conscious of diversity in the industry.”
Nancy Lan, national managing director, Starcom: “My first experience of Imposter Syndrome was in 2013, when I found myself re-launching and running an agency’s content team in Shanghai.
“I managed a more experienced team, who I felt must have questioned my appointment into the general manager role from the head office in London. I found myself in my first ever personal office, needing to get to know the complex media landscape in China, and wondering how I was going to convince myself – let alone the team, my peers and our clients – that I was cut out for the job.
“So I chipped away, learning earnestly, working relentlessly and importantly, I valued the people around me. Within twelve months, we tripled the team, our client base increased four times and we increased revenue by over 450%.
“Two years later, I was asked to run the Shanghai Optimedia (now Spark Foundry) office. Once again, Imposter Syndrome struck. I vividly recall a conversation, which centred around my level of planning, invest- ment and general agency experience. I went about re-applying the same formula – learning from anyone and everyone, working harder than I had ever worked and putting people first. I did this knowing that I would only succeed if they did. They did, and so did I!
“What stopped the Imposter Syndrome from being paralysing was the fortune of having leaders who truly recognised my potential, having the courage to believe them and the tenacity to not let them down.”
Amanda Wheeler, Leo Burnett’s chief client partner, believes the industry generally isn’t very good at preparing people for leadership.
“We sometimes mistake ambition for leadership,” she says. “Furthermore, we often reward negative behaviours such as taking on more responsibility (without understanding the impact) and mistaking proximity to leadership as leadership.
“It’s further complicated by not always clearly understanding when recruit- ing entry leadership roles what qualities make good leaders and how you are going to grow those.
“More recently, we are seeing a greater focus on leadership behaviours and creating training to develop those skills, as well as an understanding of the value of mentoring and that agencies should help facilitate that, hopefully leading to more value-based leaders in the industry.”