Imposter Syndrome

On 23 September 2024, Lawyers Weekly said:

Challenging impostor syndrome begins at the top, High Court judge says

To overcome the taboo around impostor syndrome, Justice Jacqueline Gleeson says, the leaders of the legal profession should be the first to expose their vulnerabilities in the hope this will encourage discussions among young and new practitioners.

In a keynote speech that delved into her insecurities and experiences with impostor syndrome, the High Court of Australia’s Justice Jacqueline Gleeson encouraged leaders of the profession to model vulnerability for those who look up to them.

“When we hide our vulnerabilities, we give the impression that we are invulnerable. In turn, junior practitioners wrestling with self-doubt may think they are the only ones in that situation,” Gleeson J said.

“When senior members of the profession are unwilling or unable to acknowledge self-doubt, they are poorly placed to nurture colleagues who experience impostor syndrome or other forms of self-doubt.”

Speaking at the 2024 Minds Count Lecture, Her Honour said impostor syndrome has remained a “taboo” subject within the Australian legal profession, stretching back to lessons she learnt growing up that “weakness is to be hidden and contemptible”.

This culture extends to an admiration of strength and invincibility but demonstrates impatience when a weakness is exposed, Gleeson J added.

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Watch the recording here.