A majority of executive women across a range of industries identified having experienced feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt, or imposter syndrome, at certain points in their careers and say they believe it is commonly experienced by women in corporate America, according to a new study released today by KPMG LLP, the U.S. audit, tax, and advisory firm.
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“Advancing the Future of Women in Business: A KPMG Women’s Leadership Summit Report” polled 750 high-performing executive women who are one or two career steps away from the C-suite and have participated in the KPMG Women’s Leadership Summit.
“KPMG has a long-standing commitment to the advancement, development and empowerment of women, which extends beyond our organization and into the broader marketplace,” said KPMG U.S. Chair and CEO Paul Knopp. “It is important for organizations to gain a more thorough understanding of the specific issues women may face as they advance in their careers and as they move toward the C-suite. We hope the thought-provoking findings and solutions in this study help leaders everywhere as we work to further advance inclusion and diversity.”
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Key findings of the study include:
- Seventy-five percent of executive women report having personally experienced imposter syndrome at certain points in their career.
- Eighty-five percent believe imposter syndrome is commonly experienced by women in corporate America.
- Seventy-four percent of executive women believe that their male counterparts do not experience feelings of self-doubt as much as female leaders do.
- Eighty-one percent believe they put more pressure on themselves not to fail than men do.
Overcoming imposter syndrome
“It’s important to realize that most women experience similar doubts at some point in our careers,” said Laura Newinski, KPMG U.S. Deputy Chair and Chief Operating Officer. “Our contribution as leaders is pivotal. Together, we have the opportunity to build corporate environments that foster a sense of belonging and lessen the experience of imposter syndrome for women in our workplaces.”
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