Imposter syndrome isnt exclusive to women, but to mark International Womens Day, I wanted to highlight some of the characteristics that may resonate with you and discuss how theyre exacerbated by gender inequality.There is no doubt theres been a positive movement towards gender balance in the workplace in the architectural sphere. Increasingly, clients and the media require architects to demonstrate diversity within their teams. But the built environment is a sector where women in senior positions are few and the demand to close the gender pay gap is growing.If we need more representative design teams, then surely the lived experiences of women should be part of their merit profileFaced with a shortage of diverse candidates, is there a temptation to promote based on characteristics other than merit? I constantly hear a prevailing anxiety among my peers that theyre the subject of positive discrimination. While its a necessary corrective to our professions diversity deficit in some instances, it can also lead people to questioning whether opportunities are due to their accomplishments or because theyre a woman. This layers onto the issue of imposter syndrome too easily, providing conflicting reactions to what for some would be an ordinary opportunity and adding to the complexity of self-worth.AdvertisementThis is when it is essential to unpack what we think about merit. If we need more representative design teams, then surely the lived experiences of women and their empathy with womens issues should be part of their merit profile. Our merit assessment, often based on hard sciences and academia within a male-dominated structure, needs to be more inclusive, and the hierarchy of hard and soft skills in practice should be interrogated.Awards such as the AJ100 Mentor of the Year and the RIBA Rising Star award offer a platform to recognise the varied industry, but recognition should start at practice level and be part of its culture. Self-reflection is needed to ensure your practice understands the merits of its employees.At Eric Parry Architects, we launched our mentoring programme last year to support professional growth across the practice at all levels. Myriad other practices are also developing in-depth mentoring systems, such as tp bennett, which runs the innovative mutual-mentoring initiative Twelve. Under the programme, 12 applicants from across the business are matched with 12 board members for 18 months. Were also seeing focused initiatives led by organisations like Women in Architecture, who are supporting women at all stages of their careers in the architectural sphere.Mentoring isnt a complete solution but it is a positive step to break down barriers. While my experience is from a large practice with resources for a formal mentoring programme, practices of all sizes can tailor a programme to their needs or use existing external programmes. The long-term benefits of these activities will balance the outlay of time and resource required.My concern then isnt just about gaining recognition, but also sustaining it. Recognition can add pressure to meet expectations, creating an imposter loop. This is where mentoring really helps. Speaking to someone experienced who can reassure and guide is beneficial, but more importantly, it provides a space to educate and increase empathy, vital for supporting a less imposter symptom-prone industry. More women in higher positions will help, creating a greater pool of mentors and reducing the imposter loop we may feel stuck in.AdvertisementWouldnt it be great if it became unremarkable when a woman is selected for a position of responsibility? The questions of why would no longer be at the forefront, and self-doubt would diminish.We still have a way to go, but having seen the impact of a mentoring culture at practice level at Eric Parry Architects as well as the sector-wide shift towards gender balance, I remain optimistic.Emily Posey is an associate architect at Eric Parry Architects2025-03-07Katie Lastcomment and share