BBH Singapore Highlights Imposter Syndrome Among LinkedIn Users

What would our LinkedIn feeds look like, if we all said how we really felt about our achievements? 

The stereotypical LinkedIn user’s feed consists of one’s connections posting about their job updates, congratulatory comments on their career achievements, and variations of “humble-bragging” posts alike starting with the quintessential LinkedIn lingo: I’m “Humbled”, “Honoured”, or “Thrilled” to be <insert achievement>.

By celebrating professional successes, the platform invariably raises feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy, and breeds endless comparison. It also heightens Imposter Syndrome among platform users. 

Imposter Syndrome is a psychological phenomenon in which an individual doubts their skills, talents, or accomplishments, and are faced with an internalized fear of being exposed as a “fraud”. Studies have shown that it can lead to high levels of fear, anxiety, stress, drops in job satisfaction, increased burnout and even depression, if left unmanaged. While this was traditionally thought to have mainly affected women in Leadership positions, it can affect anyone at any age from any industry today. A study by Asana, The Anatomy of Work Index has revealed that 74% of Singaporeans experience Imposter Syndrome, a significant disparity when compared to the global average of 62% - yet its prevalence is rarely discussed. 

In a 2-week long campaign titled 'Our Imposter Stories' by BBH Singapore, four interns from the 2021 Barn Programme took to LinkedIn to invite professionals to speak out about the struggles behind their past and current experiences with Imposter Syndrome. 

Since its launch, the campaign page @Our Imposter Stories on LinkedIn has seen prominent members of the public, such as Jamus Lim (MP, Sengkang GRC), Alvin Tan (Minister of State, MTI), Leanne Robers (Co-founder, She loves Tech) share their own experience with Imposter Syndrome, further reinforcing the idea that no matter how successful one is, we are all susceptible to self-doubt.

Jenessa Ong, BBH Barn’s business leadership intern, said: “LinkedIn is a platform where honest authentic conversations rarely take place. This campaign starts to chip away at the glossy, polished professional veneer of the platform, by talking about real insecurities that many of us struggle to put into words.” 

The campaign page (@OurImposterStories), currently registered as a company page on LinkedIn, now houses a collective of testimonies and resources covering different aspects of the phenomenon.