Impostor Syndrome
We’re always surprised to learn that intelligent, educated, highly capable women still sometimes feel like imposters.
When faced with a new situation, we can sometimes feel inadequate, like we’re not smart, experienced, talented, articulate, good (insert adjective here) enough. Why are we so hard on ourselves?
We’ve learned two things over the course of our careers that have helped us manage impostor syndrome:
Listening is often more powerful than speaking—When you’re not sure you have any value to add to the conversation, just listen. No matter what position they hold, how much education they have, or how intelligent or talented they are, people are still just people. We all just want to be seen, heard, and understood. You don’t need to be the smartest person in the room. You just need to make people feel heard and add value where you know you can.
We’re all just figuring it out. Even the “experts” are always learning about their fields. People who have risen to the top of their companies are always facing new challenges. You’re not the only person in the room with something to learn and your perspective is just as valid as anyone else’s.
Here’s a great article about How to handle impostor syndrome.
