THE IMPOSTOR SYNDROME: A DISQUIETING PHENOMENON IN ORGANIZATIONAL LIFE

This paper discusses the role of impostors in society. Psychodynamic inferences are made about the origin and characteristics of this particular character type. Comparisons are drawn with the "as if " personality. Differences between people who feel imposturous and the true impostor are elucidated. Finally, we present the case of Refaat El-Sayed, a recent example of an impostor in business.- 3 Throughout history impostors have fascinated the public at large. People leading fraudulent lives or engaging in fraudulent action always seem to have had a fatal attraction. One reason for this popularity may be that there is an element of recognition present in the encounter of impostors and their audiences. It often seems as if the impostors show us something about ourselves which we may prefer not to see under normal circumstances. And to some exten