Don't let IMPOSTOR syndrome get to you - a practical guide!

Don't let IMPOSTOR syndrome get to you - a practical guide!

Ever felt like if you took off the “mask” you wear for your job, people would stop paying you as much attention, or see you for the vulnerable person you are underneath?

Apparently, with the exception of those tending to sociopathy, this feeling will strike almost every one of us, from time to time. So... if you have felt it… GOOD!

If you haven’t, dont worry too much either. But you might want to experiment with taking bigger risks professionally - you know, rather than buying weaponry or anything dangerous. Ha!

Assuming you have felt it, it was probably at a time where you had promised to deliver something important - a speech, a project, a result - and needed to project utter confidence, while feeling natural nagging doubts yourself.

Some people feel it their entire careers - and for some it is debilitating and destructive. 

The first time you walk into a room as a business coach or expert advisor, is a great example of a time you might feel impostor syndrome. Many of the best coaches in the world do. 

But I have conquered that feeling in that context and I wanted to share how! 

(With the caveat that I still do get it a bit in other circumstances and I am working on those.)

 An EXPERT is a perfectly imperfect thing! 

You don’t need to know everything to be an expert. In fact the arrogance of assuming you do know everything would be a huge risk to all around you. So delight in the room you still have to learn. 

But what you do need is two-fold…

1. You need GOOD knowledge of your subject and to be reasonably well-prepared.

2. You need to have a clear APPROACH to getting the knowledge you need (from research, your network, etc.) where something is beyond your level today.

THIS IS THE MOST POWERFUL STATEMENT IN BUSINESS CONSULTING:

“That is a good question and deserves a really good answer. I can think of a number of options. My approach to getting to the best one would be…”

I would also ALWAYS turn it around and check the position of the person asking:

“Do you have a firm view on the best option? How soon do we need to get to the right answer? What are the key drivers from your point of view?”

With this knowledge and this little technique available in your Coaching Toolkit, you have something that can keep almost all practical cases of impostor syndrome at bay. 

If you would like to find out more about how to become a successful Business Coach, ask for more information below and we will get in touch soon. 

Tune in again soon for more exciting tips and tricks for expert advisors!