Navigating Adult ADHD — Episode #158

“Imposter Syndrome & ADHD with Jaime Rose-Peacock”

Host: Xena Jones
Guest: Jaime Rose-Peacock
Date: March 23, 2026

Overview

In this enlightening conversation, host Xena Jones welcomes back employment law specialist and ADHD advocate Jaime Rose-Peacock to unpack the complexities of imposter syndrome (or imposter phenomenon), particularly as it affects women and adults with ADHD. They dig into Jaime’s academic research on high-achieving professional women, examine the organizational factors fueling imposter feelings, and share actionable strategies for individuals and workplaces. The episode is rich with lived experience, candor, scientific insight, and practical tips, dispelling the myth that imposter syndrome is simply “all in your head” and highlighting its deep connection with workplace culture, gender, neurodiversity, and societal expectations.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jaime’s ADHD Journey and Professional Background

• (03:03–07:59)
  • Jaime shares her late ADHD diagnosis at age 44, prompted by seeking answers for her daughter and reflecting on patterns in her mother’s life:

    “I was formally diagnosed several years ago... I’d actually started looking at getting a diagnosis for my daughter... and the more I looked at it, I was like, ah, this is ringing very true.” (03:21, Jaime)

  • She describes her career, struggles with workplace consistency, burnout, and how entrepreneurship brought unexpected stability.
  • Jaime’s two businesses:
    • Marble’s People and Culture Hub: HR consultancy for employers
    • Jamie Rose, Employment Law Specialist: Advocacy and representation for employees, particularly those facing workplace disputes

2. Imposter Syndrome / Phenomenon: Personal and Academic Hooks

• (09:02–13:17)
  • Despite high achievement, Jaime always felt like a fraud:

    “For most of that time I’ve carried a persistent fear that I was a fraud, that I did not deserve success and that at any moment I would be discovered as a fraud... despite holding two undergraduate degrees, now completing a master's, running two businesses, sitting on multiple executive boards, being a mother, being a wife, being a friend ...” (09:38, Jaime)

  • Her master’s thesis focused on “organizational factors that influence impostor phenomenon among high achieving professional women,” shifting the lens from individual psychology to external, systemic factors.
  • She highlights intersectionality—women of color, those with disabilities, or with other marginalized identities are even more profoundly affected.

3. Organizational and Social Factors that Fuel Imposter Syndrome

• (13:27–17:11)

  • Jaime outlines key organizational contributors:

    • Microaggressions and frequent interruptions or dismissals (13:27)
    • Lack of representation in leadership
    • The Authority Gap: Women’s competence is undervalued; they’re interrupted and dismissed more
    • “Prove it Again” Trap: Women must justify their presence and competence more often
    • Personality-Based Criticism: Women’s performance reviews often sideline skills in favor of vagueness or conflicting expectations—“damned if you do, damned if you don't” (15:25)
    • “Meritocracy” as Myth: Social networks, not actual merit, often drive advancement

      “Several women in my research reported that their organizations presented themselves as meritocratic... but essentially, they're not meritocratic—they’re often cronyistic, nepotistic.” (16:04, Jaime)

  • Result: Women internalize organizational contradictions or failures as personal inadequacy.

4. Language: “Imposter Syndrome” vs “Imposter Phenomenon”

• (22:22–24:46)
  • Critical difference:

    “A syndrome refers to a formally recognized clinical diagnosis... Imposter phenomenon is not listed in the DSM or ICD, has no formal diagnostic criteria, and no standardized treatment protocol. Calling it a syndrome... implies disorder. Calling it a phenomenon is a more accurate framing.” (22:38, Jaime)

  • Prevalence estimates vary widely due to inconsistent definitions and measures.

5. The ADHD–Imposter Syndrome Connection

• (27:26–38:57)
  • Both Xena and Jaime observe imposter feelings are rampant among people with ADHD.
  • Key ADHD-related vulnerabilities:
    • Lifetime of “not doing it right”: “Our whole life we're told... that we're not right.”
    • Inconsistent performance: Makes it hard to maintain a solid self-concept

      “ADHD is characterized by inconsistent performance... this variability makes it extremely difficult for someone to develop a stable, reliable self concept about the skills and abilities.” (40:07, Jaime)

    • Overworking and masking: Excessive preparation and avoidance of risk to compensate for insecurity, similar to common ADHD coping mechanisms
    • Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD): Severe emotional responses to perceived criticism, leading to avoidance, overcompensation, and self-doubt
    • Late diagnosis: Means many years internalizing negative beliefs about potential or worth
    • Hyperfocus paradox: Even impressive bursts of work are discounted, not seen as “real” or sustainable effort (58:46–59:10)
    • Masking is invisible labor: External praise often feels fake because it's unaware of immense private effort (“When you're putting extraordinary effort into appearing normal or competent... that praise feels fraudulent.” 57:56)

6. What Does Imposter Syndrome Feel and Sound Like?

• (28:35–37:36)
  • Persistent beliefs:
    • “I only got this because I needed someone for the quota.”
    • “It’s only a matter of time before they realize I’m not as good as they think.”
    • Discomfort receiving praise and downplaying or attributing success to luck or external help.
    • “Imposter phenomenon does not disappear when you accumulate more achievements... there is no threshold of success at which imposter phenomenon resolves itself.” (36:16, Jaime)

7. Practical Strategies—For Individuals

• Disrupt the Narrative:
  • Name the feeling: “Naming it, awareness is the first disruption—when the imposter voice speaks, being able to identify it as imposter phenomenon rather than the truth separates you from the thought.” (41:23)
  • Document achievements: Keep a file or journal of successes and positive feedback—“It’s not a boast journal, it’s a concrete, accessible counter evidence to your internal narrative.” (42:00)
  • Talk about it: Reduces pluralistic ignorance; hearing others’ stories normalizes your own.
  • Reframe attributions: Ask, “If a colleague achieved what I just achieved, how would I explain it?” (44:45)
  • Mentorship and peer support: Find advocates and build networks—“They are a buffer against isolation.” (45:02)
  • Self-advocacy is a learnable skill: Not innate; practice and celebrate every act.
  • Accommodate your brain: Use tools, lists, scaffolding, and accommodations without shame—“Needing support to produce your best work is not shameful, it is practical.” (51:46, Jaime)
  • Differentiate executive function vs. competence: Struggling to start something ≠ being incompetent (48:58–49:51)
  • Prepare scripts for challenging conversations: When advocating for yourself, write down points to stay focused (46:52)

8. Practical Strategies—For Organizations

• Actionable steps for workplaces:
  • Specific, skills-based feedback, not vague critiques: “Oh, you’re just not a team player” is unhelpful—be concrete and actionable (52:42–53:35)
  • Equitable promotion and evaluation frameworks: Make expectations transparent and advancement criteria fair.
  • Address the authority gap: Reduce “prove it again” practices by standardizing how achievement is recognized.
  • Foster psychological safety:

    “Environments where people can take risk, ask questions and acknowledge uncertainty without fear of judgment.” (54:45)

  • No-blame culture: “If something goes wrong, ask why seven times until you get to the root cause.” (55:47)
  • Normalize discussing self-doubt at the leadership level: Makes vulnerability accepted and reduces stigma.

9. Intersectionality and Identity Layers

• (60:20–61:06)
  • Women with ADHD, women of color, women with disabilities, those from marginalized backgrounds—each added layer intensifies imposter phenomenon.

10. Affirmations & Takeaways

• You are not broken; your brain isn’t either—it’s just different (62:15–64:00).
• The experience is not purely internal—workplace structures, bias, and culture play a crucial role.
• You’re not alone—even the most high achieving people feel like imposters.
• Self-advocacy, connection, and systemic change are all key to progress.

Memorable Quotes

“My key findings [were] that imposter phenomenon is not simply an internal psychological state. It is significantly shaped by the environments women work in. Workplaces that contain bias, exclusion and structural inequalities actively fuel imposter syndrome.”
(18:33, Jaime)

“Rejection sensitivity dysphoria… our whole world implodes... it is just something I can really relate to.”
(33:09, Jaime)

“Needing support to produce your best work is not shameful, it is practical.”
(51:46, Jaime)

“You don’t need to be this enraged activist to make change… you can make change through subtle, quiet, tentative moves.”
(64:05, Jaime)

“You are not broken. You don’t need to be fixed.”
(63:28, Jaime)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• [03:03] Jaime’s ADHD story and workplace journey
• [09:02] Why Jaime studied imposter phenomenon, her hook, and what the research says
• [13:27] Key external/organizational factors that contribute to imposter syndrome
• [22:22] Distinguishing “syndrome” from “phenomenon”
• [27:26] Overlap between ADHD and imposter syndrome, including lived ADHD experiences
• [29:19] RSD and emotional impact in workplace settings
• [33:09] RSD personal and family stories
• [41:23] Strategies and mindset shifts for disruption of imposter feelings
• [48:28] Specific tips for neurodivergent/ADHD individuals: separating executive function from competence
• [52:42] Example of skills-based organizational feedback
• [54:45] The importance of psychological safety and “no-blame” cultures
• [58:46] ADHD diagnosis, late identification, and perpetual seesawing self-concept
• [59:10] Hyperfocus and the imposter paradox in ADHD
• [63:28] Concluding message: “You are not broken”

Where to Find Jaime

• Employers: www.marbles.org.nz
• Employees/Individuals: www.jamierose.co.nz

Episode Summary Statement

This episode powerfully reframes imposter syndrome from an individual failing to a broader phenomenon rooted in societal, organizational, and neurodiversity dynamics—offering validation, tools, and hope for every listener who has ever wondered, “Am I good enough to be here?”