Most people will experience “imposter syndrome” at some point in their lives. While the name sounds serious, imposter syndrome is a common psychological pattern that causes feelings of self-doubt. Many women who work in male-dominated fields like STEM are experiencing these imposter feelings in the workplace.
Kelsie Perkes, a technical support specialist at WP Engine, the WordPress digital experience platform, experienced imposter syndrome after making a career change from school teacher to tech support. And today, despite acing her exams and exceeding at customer service, Perkes still feels like she needs to prove herself. Little did she know, Heather Brunner, the CEO of WP Engine, has faced similar challenges.
CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion™, the largest CEO-led business coalition to advance Diversity & Inclusion in the US, brought Brunner and Perkes together with D&I expert Y-Vonne Hutchinson to discuss their experiences. Brunner, along with more than 500 CEOs, has pledged to create a trusting work environment where diverse perspectives are welcomed, employees can openly discuss diversity and inclusion topics, and an ongoing dialogue about different experiences and perspectives are encouraged.
Watch the video above, sponsored by PwC, to see Perkes and Brunner share their journey, the challenges they face as women in tech and how they hope to improve the landscape for the next generation.
PwC’s new series, Beyond The Bottom Line, produced in association with the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion™, follows CEOs as they meet their employees face-to-face to discuss the issues that matter. With more than 500 CEOs committed, CEO Action is the largest CEO-led business coalition focused on advancing diversity and inclusion in the US. To learn more, visit CEOAction.com.
This article was paid for by PwC and co-created by RYOT Studio. HuffPost editorial staff did not participate in the creation of this content.