Imposter Phenomenon - The Human Perspective - with Tarquin Bennett-Coles

Imposter Phenomenon - The Human Perspective - with Tarquin Bennett-Coles

In episode 9 of Work Truths: Off the Record I’m delighted to be joined by Tarquin Bennett-Coles, a global talent scout with more than 25 years’ experience identifying, interviewing and supporting leaders across sectors. Tarquin’s story is a fascinating one because his experience of imposter thoughts is closely tied to something very specific: his name. In our conversation, we explore what it’s like to grow up with a name that can trigger assumptions before you’ve even spoken, and how that shaped his sense of belonging in professional spaces. What I found especially interesting was the way Tarquin has learned to manage those feelings in practical ways. He talks about doing his homework before meetings, building a sense of common ground, and surrounding himself with people who remind him of what he’s already achieved. We also discuss the impact of working across different countries and cultures, and how that sometimes changed the story his name seemed to tell about him. Tarquin reflects honestly on the moments when self-doubt made him want to pull back, and how support from others — personally and professionally — helped him keep moving forward. There’s something really powerful in his reminder that we all need a bench of people we can turn to. If you’re interested in identity, belonging and the hidden pressures that can sit behind apparently confident careers, this episode is well worth a listen. Guest Information Tarquin has spent over 25 years as a Global Talent Scout; identifying, interviewing and supporting leaders in the life science and tech sectors. He is a trained competency interviewer and profiler and passionate Equity, Diversity & Inclusion advocate who is deeply networked within the industries he serves. His focus is on senior leadership roles. Tarquin has worked in boutique search firms and was a Global Talent Scout with AstraZeneca and supported scaling biotech CellCentric, as their Director of Talent, as they doubled in size in 6 months. He has been involved in many high-profile hires including the CEO for the global vaccine NGO CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations). He is an industry STEM advocate who chairs industry panels (Gap Summit, Excellentium etc) and bee a regular guest on Royal Pharmaceutical Society podcasts and written articles on talent issues & EDI. Tarquin is a pro bono careers advisor for Cambridge Judge Institute, a mentor for the Homerton Changemakers programme, a campaign committee member for East Anglian Air Ambulance and a volunteer for Form the Future, Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre, Beacon for rare Diseases and advisor to Gynii Me. He recently completed his 100th whole blood donation and holds Black belts in three martial arts disciplines; Karate, Combat Sombo and Judo. He has also trained and competed internationally in MMA, Karate, Jeet Kune Do Concepts, Savate Kickboxing and Kali/Escrima stick fighting. Tarquin’s Website and Social Links:

Imposter Phenomenon - The Author's Perspective - with Dr Lucy Ryan

Episode 8 of Work Truths: Off the Record is live, and this week I’m joined by Dr Lucy Ryan, a UK-based positive psychologist and author whose work focuses on women’s professional development. If you’re a woman in midlife – or live with one, or work with one, or are friends with one – you might want to listen to this. I invited Lucy, author of ‘Revolting Women: Why midlife women are walking out and what to do about it’, to talk to me about the relationship between the imposter phenomenon and being a woman in midlife. Turns out, it’s an interesting one! Lucy brings such an important perspective to our topic, because she sees it not just as self-doubt, but as a signal that something important is shifting. In our conversation, we explore why she believes these feelings can show up at exactly the point of growth – when someone is stretching into new territory, taking on more, or rethinking what they want from work and life. Lucy’s research on women over 50 opens up so many questions about visibility, confidence and career transitions in midlife. We discuss why some women feel less relevant or increasingly invisible as they get older, how gendered ageism plays into that, and why menopause can amplify self-doubt for some, while post-menopausal life can bring a renewed sense of confidence and freedom too. We also discuss what she found in her research about midlife women stepping sideways, stepping down, or stepping out altogether – often because of care responsibilities, exhaustion, boredom, or a wish for something more creative. If you want a conversation that looks at imposter feelings through the lens of midlife, menopause and women’s careers, this one is packed with insight. Guest Information As Managing Director of Mindspring International for the last 23 years, Lucy has a lifetime of corporate experience. Lucy has trained, consulted with, and coached over 13,000 leaders in global, blue-chip companies across 29 countries. Her 2021 bestseller, ‘Lunchtime Learning for Leaders’ synthesised her down-to-earth approach. Lucy is a passionate advocate for women’s professional development, helping organisations attract, retain, and promote their female leaders and gender proof their succession plans. Noticing a trend of female midlife clients leaving their corporate roles, she led a unique five-year doctoral research project exploring this phenomenon, filling a long-standing data gap. Lucy’s 2023 book, ‘Revolting Women: why midlife women walk out (and what to do about it)’, was an instant Amazon bestseller and hailed by the Sunday Times as “clear, pithy and enraging”. Her book won Business Book of the Year (Diversity & Inclusion), 2024. Lucy is an accredited Master Practitioner Coach and nominated in 2024 as one of the top 100 global coaches for women, and one of the ‘top 5 women to watch in 2024’. Lucy holds a Masters in Positive Psychology from the University of East London, and a PhD in Organisational Leadership from University of Liverpool. She lectures in Positive Leadership & Happiness at the University of East London. Lucy joined Stanford University’s Catalyst Programme in September 2025. Lucy’s Website, Social Links and Books: mindspring.uk.com [http://mindspring.uk.com] www.lucyryan.co.uk [http://www.lucyryan.co.uk] https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Lucy-Ryan/author/B09BBHX42Z?ref=ap_rdr&shoppingPortalEnabled=true [https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Lucy-Ryan/author/B09BBHX42Z?ref=ap_rdr&shoppingPortalEnabled=true]

Imposter Phenomenon - The Human Perspective - with Erik Johnson

Episode 7 of Work Truths: Off the Record is live, and this time I’m talking with Eric Johnson, the instrument operations group leader for the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source. Eric has one of those job titles that sounds brilliantly impressive – and yet he talks very honestly about not always recognising himself in it. That tension sits right at the heart of our conversation. We explore what it feels like to work in a highly technical environment alongside very intelligent specialists, while seeing your own role as the person joining things up rather than being the expert in every detail. Eric is deeply honest in this conversation, and his willingness to be truthful about his own experiences of feleing like an imposter allowed us to explore vital aspcets of this experience – such as how it shows up in the body. The knot in the stomach, the urge to freeze, the inner voice that does everything possible to make him feel small. We also talk about the habit of focusing only on problems, and how that can shape not just work you deliver, but also the way you see yourself. There’s something really practical in Eric’s story too. He explains how keeping a record of thanks and specific feedback helped him begin to notice his own value, especially in the moments when he could see that the questions he asked really mattered. If you’re interested in hearing more about what happens behind the masks we wear at work, or in how to start re-learning your own value bit by bit, then this episode is a fascinating listen. Guest Information Erik Johnson is a Chartered Engineer and Group Leader for Instrument Operations at the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). He is responsible for the operation, build, maintenance and upgrade of large-scale scientific instruments and experimental facilities, working across engineering, operations, safety and multidisciplinary technical teams, and leading and communicating with a wide range of technical specialists. Erik's Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-johnson-ceng-3a554179 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-johnson-ceng-3a554179] Source: ISIS Neutron and Muon Source www.isis.stfc.ac.uk [http://www.isis.stfc.ac.uk] UKRI: https://www.ukri.org/ [https://www.ukri.org/]

Imposter Phenomenon - The Researcher's Perspective - with Dr Terri Simpkin

Episode 6 of Work Truths: Off the Record is live, and today I’m joined by Dr Terri Simpkin, an academic and self-described ‘chaos wrangler’! Terri brings a brilliantly fresh perspective to the imposter phenomenon because she doesn’t just research it — she has lived experience of it too. In our conversation, we explore how imposter feelings are shaped by the wider systems around us, not just by what’s happening inside our own heads. That means looking at childhood messages, class, underrepresentation, and the ways social narratives can quietly tell us we simply ‘don’t belong’. One of the things I found most powerful was Terri’s personal story of moving through university and a PhD while carrying the fear that she would be ‘found out’. She also explains why the word syndrome is so misleading, and why calling it a phenomenon matters so much. For the record #NotASyndrome We talk about the cycle she identified through her profound academic research – links between procrastination, perfectionism, overwork, self-doubt, and the exhausting crash that often follows success. And for managers, colleagues and organisations, Terri shares what to look out for when someone keeps discounting their achievements, refuses praise, or seems unable to see their own evidence of success. If you’re interested in how systems, language and lived experience intersect, this episode is a fascinating one. It is packed with useful content. Guest Information Terri has enjoyed a long and international career as a senior academic, business leader, trusted adviser, consultant, and public speaker with over 30 years of experience across higher education, industry, and the not-for-profit sector. She has also led her strategy consultancy, Mischief Insight and Impact, for more than 25 years across Australia and the UK. With a career that is international but grounded in Australia and the UK, she brings expertise in organisational capability development, strategic management, SHRM, leadership evolution, counters to ‘WEIRD’ perspectives and workforce transformation. Her portfolio includes designing leadership programs in STEM, stewarding international academic operations, advising governments on workforce strategy, and speaking internationally on leadership, inclusion, impostor phenomenon, and the future of STEM work (but without the futurist ‘fluff’). Her professional practice centres on cultivating capability in people and systems, and she is often engaged in high-ambiguity contexts where familiar answers and standard interventions have lost traction or failed. Terri’s Website and Social Links: https://www.uptomischief.com.au [https://www.uptomischief.com.au] https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrisimpkin/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrisimpkin/] Terri’s Upcoming UK Events: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/52e7142fae.html [https://heyzine.com/flip-book/52e7142fae.html]

Imposter Phenomenon - The Lawyer's Perspective - with Emma Clark

Episode 5 of Work Truths: Off the Record is live, and I’m delighted to be joined once again by Emma Clark, a highly experienced employment lawyer. In this conversation, Emma and I look at where and how the imposter phenomenon shows up in real working life – especially in promotion decisions, performance management, discrimination, and the damage that toxic workplaces can do. Emma brings a sharp legal lens to the subject. We talk about why women, and particularly women of colour, can face extra barriers when confidence is read through biased ideas like ‘executive presence’, how performance improvement plans can become a negative turning point for people already doubting themselves, and why workplace culture can tip normal self-doubt into something much more serious. I was especially interested in Emma’s reflections on the legal consequences for employers. We talk about the role of grievances, the significance of occupational health responses, and the powerful implications of making reasonable adjustments. Emma adds her insight for managers too – notice when someone starts withdrawing, notice with curiosity when someone starts making mistakes, and notice drops in confidence. If you work in HR, lead people, or simply want to understand the workplace impact of imposter phenomenon more clearly, this episode will give you plenty to think about. Guest Information Emma is an employment and partnership lawyer who advises both senior executives and organisations. She has over 22 years’ experience and her expertise spans advisory work, employment litigation and corporate transactions across a variety of sectors. She has been ranked and recognised for the last 4 years by the main legal directories (Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners). The directories include the following comments: Emma Clark is an extraordinary lawyer, the best I’ve worked with. Exceptionally knowledgeable, smart, strategic, pragmatic. She is also incredibly personable, responsive, easy to communicate with. I always felt confident that she was achieving the best possible outcome for me.’’ The Legal 500 2026 “Emma is a heavy weight lawyer at the top of her game. Her knowledge of partnership and board disputes is extensive and her experience and commercial acumen makes her a real force to be reckoned with. You would want Emma in your team. Absolutely no question!” The Legal 500 2025 “She is exceptional, compassionate and has an outstanding knowledge of employment law.”– Chambers UK 2025 “She has a great mix of legal expertise and business acumen with the right touch of assertiveness.”-Chambers UK 2025 Emma’s Website and Social Links: https://keystonelaw.com/lawyers/emma-clark/ [https://keystonelaw.com/lawyers/emma-clark/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmaclarkemploymentlawyer/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmaclarkemploymentlawyer/] Lawcare Organisation: https://lawcare.org.uk/ [https://lawcare.org.uk/]