RESOURCES

Our team has recently been surprised by how strongly people respond when we share articles on imposter syndrome. This is particularly striking because our audience is so wildly successful; clearly there is a perception gap between how professionals view themselves and how others see them. This trend is widespread and merits examination, as it often prevents talented professionals from going after that next big thing that will elevate their career – whether that’s a stretch assignment, a promotion, or a new piece of business.

Sometimes the fix to projecting confidence we might not have just yet is “fake it till you make it.” To take it one step further, I’d encourage us all to be cognizant about the narratives we weave about ourselves. These narratives come to life in 3 key ways:

• how we talk about ourselves to ourselves, or self-talk
• how we talk about ourselves to others, or personal branding, and
• how we judge ourselves – with a lens of perfectionism, or a lens of grace

For instance, when you make a mistake, do you berate yourself, or do you think “now I know for next time?” When you talk to others about yourself, do you exude comfort with who you are, or do you diminish yourself through your words or actions?

How we perceive and treat ourselves is very apparent to others, and they will often see us as we see ourselves. Accepting ourselves for the imperfect, but perfectly capable people we are is the ultimate act of what I like to call “professional self care™” and is vital to battling imposter syndrome on our career journeys.

Discover more resources and inspiration to help you embrace professional self care and project confidence in your interactions with yourself and others in this month’s newsletter.