Annie Jarvis, Director of Strategy and Programmes, Cause4
Whilst a trustee position is a privilege to undertake, it is also a highly responsible role.
With the increased administrative pressures placed on the cultural sector by funders and regulators; higher competition for funding opportunities and a more complex operating environment, it is no surprise that trustees and chairs can feel under pressure at times.
As is often human nature, many trustees find themselves in a cycle of self-doubt – that feeling that they aren’t skilled, qualified or talented enough to lead a board or govern a charity, or that they should be doing more to ‘know the art inside out’, or to ‘unlock doors to donors and give’.
This sense of self-doubt is said to affect more than 70% of leaders and 75% of women in leadership positions. In fact, this sentiment is so common, that is has a name: Imposter Syndrome.
We chatted to some trustees to understand their experiences of imposter syndrome and to see what top tips they may have to help others.
Liam Smyth, Trustee of IKON
I have been a trustee at IKON, a contemporary art gallery and Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation based in Birmingham, for nearly three years. This is my first trustee role.
It can be daunting to take your first step as a trustee. As in all walks of life, it is difficult to purposefully put yourself in a room where you are the least experienced and least knowledgeable.
You can quickly feel overwhelmed and out of depth, and nothing can really prepare you for the different personalities, obstacles, opportunities, values and beliefs that are unique to each organisation.
Even the most dedicated trustees can struggle to absorb all the information. A big learning curve for all new trustees is in adapting a more direct communication style – ask the questions! This can be necessary to gather the data that you need to provide proper oversight and scrutiny.
You also need to learn when to challenge authority figures to meet charitable aims, whilst also ensuring that you are not overreaching from governance into management. Creating a supportive, yet accountable environment, requires a lot of care and commitment.
One of the best reasons to become a trustee is that it continually pushes you to learn, adapt and respond. I don’t believe that anyone is born a great trustee – it can be a lifetime pursuit, and it is a marathon, not a sprint! You can’t buy experience, and your future self will thank you for pushing yourself out of your comfort zone today. There is no such thing as a standard day-in-the-life as a trustee and early exposure to the tests and trials of trusteeship will build invaluable resilience over time.
Having a chair that is alive to the value of diverse perspectives is also key. I was fortunate to join a board under the stewardship of Helen Higson, who is one of the most passionate and experienced governance professionals that you could meet. Helen was keen to pass on her knowledge and would generously offer her time to new trustees for annual appraisals, as well as to provide real world constructive feedback. I hope to build enough experience to be able to offer similar levels of support to new trustees in the future.
Helen Jenkins, Trustee of Manchester Jewish Museum
“Are you sure? I don’t think I’ve got the experience you need.”
That was my gut reaction the first time I was asked to sit on a board – and not just any board, but one for an organisation I really admired.
Imposter syndrome is loudest for me when someone compliments my professional skills. Being asked to join a board felt like the biggest compliment – so of course, I assumed there had been a mistake.
Maybe everyone else had said no. Maybe they’d confused me with someone else.
Why did I think this? Logically, I know I have skills and experience. I’ve worked in fundraising my entire career, over ten years of that as a consultant. I’ve held senior roles and worked with some of the most talented people in the sector. I’m always busy with complex and exciting projects.
But logic is rarely louder than imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome amplifies your insecurities. It reminds you of the funding bids that didn’t come through, the time a colleague made fun of you, the fact that you didn’t visit a museum until university, your accent. All the things that don’t matter – but feel like they do.
Right now, I sit on the board of the Manchester Jewish Museum. I’m not Jewish, which of course fed directly into my imposter feelings. Why on earth would they want me on the board? I must remind myself – it’s my skills and advice they need, not my faith.
There are also practical things I do to help. I read all the board papers in advance, so I know what’s coming up and can research anything I’m unsure about. I also mark-up the questions I want to ask before each meeting.
I also undertook trustee training, which was probably the single most important step in quietening down my imposter syndrome. It helped me understand exactly what’s expected of me and gave me confidence that I can deliver and contribute positively to the role.
Abiodun Michael Olatokun, Trustee of Advicenow
I am a trustee of Advicenow (Law for Life), the foundation for public legal education, and I was the Chair of the University of Westminster Students’ Union from 2016-2018. I am also a former trustee of the British Youth Council and the Diana Award.
I suffer from anxiety and can sometimes struggle to speak in a group conversation. Sometimes, I also feel like I do not have enough experience, or knowledge, to contribute to the discussion. That can make me feel that I shouldn’t say what’s on my mind.
I work to overcome these issues by indicating that I want to get in on the conversation. That was a lot easier during the pandemic, when Zoom allowed you to raise a digital hand. This can certainly be more challenging in a group setting today, as it doesn’t feel polite to interrupt the flow of a conversation. Trying to catch the eye of the chair is my tactic for ensuring that I have a platform to speak, at the time that I’d like to contribute.
I also think that it’s important to take your ego out of the situation; sometimes you don’t need to make the point because someone else made it. In the context of charity/board decision making, it is ultimately about acting in the best interests of the charity and ensuring that it is steered in the right direction. Therefore, a simple nod or an “I agree”, can serve the vital function of supporting a good idea in a group setting.
Critical to inclusive discussions, is often in the Chair’s ability to facilitate conversations in ways that promote participation. That can be as simple as asking “Did anyone have anything else to add?” or canvassing opinions beforehand when there are more contentious items to be discussed. No one should leave the room with a bugbear, so short post-meeting questionnaires to assess whether board members felt there was healthy discussion and debate and that all views were heard, can really help to identify any challenges with communication.
Debbie Richards, Chair of Northern Broadsides
Our success is summed up by Kate Mroczkowski, who joined Northern Broadsides as a first-time trustee: “I’ve learned so much, and if you’ve not sat on a board before, I highly recommend it. I was a bit nervous at first, and the imposter syndrome has been an unwelcome friend in most board meetings. But the team have been so supportive and worked hard at creating a safe and enjoyable space for new and first-time board members. A year in, and I feel more confident and useful. Like any new role – it takes time to settle in, and that’s ok.”
I joined my first board over 25 years ago and am lucky to have had various governance experiences including: for-profits, charities and membership organisations.
Every board is unique and there is always lots to learn, but this can be much harder for a first-time trustee. First-timers are committing to new legal and strategic leadership responsibilities, and imposter syndrome is a particular challenge, as they worry whether they really have the skills.
As part of our commitment to diversifying our board, we encourage first-time trustees to apply. This starts with the recruitment process – advertising vacancies to reach people under-represented on boards and stating explicitly that first-time applicants are actively welcomed.
We provide new trustees with an access rider (an access document tailored to an individual) to understand how we can support them, an induction pack, introductory meetings and the option of mentoring. At initial meetings, we take time over introductions and explain any jargon or organisational shorthand. We also offer specialist learning sessions, such as how to approach financial papers as a Trustee.
Srimoyee Sarker, Trustee of Bluecoat
Since 2018, I have been a trustee with Bluecoat – a contemporary arts centre housed in a striking Grade 1 listed building in central Liverpool. I previously held Executive roles working with a Board and wanted to put this experience to good use as a trustee.
Being a Bluecoat trustee, is my first and currently my only trustee position. I joined the board with a mix of curiosity and a desire to support. However, alongside this impulse to learn, was a seed of self-doubt. Though I had been appointed after an open call and interview, there was a constant nag in my mind about my value, especially amongst my fellow trustees, who were experienced leaders in their respective fields.
In a (good and diverse) board, you are chosen because you can complement existing trustees and ultimately join as a peer. Yet strangely, this immediate sense of having equal status fuelled my imposter syndrome. Others seemed so assured, and in many instances, their knowledge was more explicitly useful (e.g. finance, HR, Law) and applicable during the meetings.
For the first few meetings I was in observer mode, noticing the issues, responses and ideas. Listening was key to improving my sense of understanding. As I acclimatised to the Board and the rhythm of our meetings, I found the best way to counter my self-doubt was to ask questions. And soon the questions being asked, or issues being raised, fell into areas that I was able to contribute confidently in.
The ability of the Chair to invite opinions from all, was also key to eroding my sense of self doubt. The Chair and Chief Executive positively acknowledged my contributions, and with that my confidence grew – not only in asking the questions, but also in knowing when NOT to ask and instead listen.
A few tips for inducting new board members (both with and without imposter syndrome):
- If possible, share a recording of your meeting, as well as the notes. This helps get a sense of the structure, rhythm and culture of the board. I remember a new trustee asking me what to wear to board meetings – a recording would help give a sense of the meetings themselves (how formal they are etc).
- Spend time with new trustees looking at your board papers in detail. Every organisation presents its information in a different format and becoming more familiar with this before a meeting can be helpful.
- If you are using a Buddy system (matching a new trustee to an existing trustee) make sure that there is a clear understanding of what time the existing trustee has to offer to the new trustee.
- Allow trustees to offer observations on papers ahead of the meeting, if contributing in-person in large groups feels intimidating.