Imposter Syndrome

Google describes Imposter Syndrome as
The persistent inability to believe
That one's success is deserved
Or has been legitimately achieved
As a result of one's own efforts or skills.

To put it simply, Imposter Syndrome
Is the experience of feeling like a phoney
You feel as though at any moment
You are going to be found out as a fraud
Like you don't belong where you are
And you only got there through dumb luck.

I watched a linkedin course once
On how to rise to be a manager
And over and over again
This iron pumping bald dude in a shirt and slacks
Gave advice and tuition on being
Unapproachable and elusive to your direct reports.

He would reiterate this mantra
That the ultimate entity was the company
And that if you were in anyway dismissive of this
Then you would need all this american pep talk
That amounted to the opposite of positive affirmation.

There's lots of language in the office
That masquerades as friendly
But only in intonation as really the subtext
Is that you don't fit their match
Implying you are not fit to contribute.

And when all your peers subscribe
To this business model of demeaning
But demeaning in a way that can't be proven in a labour court
You start to wonder
Are they right?
Am I not fit to earn a decent wage?

And the stress comes home
To the kitchen table
Where your middle management middle manager
Is blissfully ignorant of the conversation,
How did your day go today dear?
Not great pet, I was bullied in front of the whole department again today,
And made turn a two hour task into a two week piece of useless output.

But this is the society
Our politariat are nurturing
Without even considering
That society is made up of people.
Real people
With real needs
And Imposter Syndrome.