Brianna White

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Jul 30, 2019
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If you’re a human being, you’ve likely felt like an impostor at one time or another. As adults, as professionals, as women and especially as women in tech. (Shout-out to Product and UX women, too.)
Women account for just 16% of senior-level technology jobs in the U.S. and only 10% of executive positions, according to the Quantifying Gender Gap study by Entelo, a company helping recruiters find under-represented job candidates.
I’ve heard variations of the impostor question over and over since I worked my way into my first leadership role. My go-to answer for women wondering how to get over impostor syndrome is, "use your voice."
One of my favorite movies, As Good As It Gets, summed it up best when, out of sheer exasperation, Greg Kinnear’s character tells Jack Nicholson’s, “The best thing you have going for you is your willingness to humiliate yourself.”
I’m certainly not suggesting that you purposely embarrass yourself in front of a room full of coworkers, but I am encouraging you to take a risk, speak up and give your opinion when it isn’t asked for.
Go ahead and ask that question you think everyone else already knows the answer to. In small conversations and big meetings I remember that quote, even more so in times when I'm riddled with self-doubt and — let’s be honest, ladies — that’s most of the time.
You may be wondering, why bother? It’s true that staying under the radar can be comforting. By doing the minimum your role requires you can still keep those paychecks rolling in. Not taking a risk can be a safe way to avoid failure. It’s also a good way to ensure nothing extraordinary happens, either.
If you’re driven to make a difference while climbing the corporate ladder, make yourself heard. Sometimes it might backfire, but I guarantee it will be beneficial more often than not.
Here's what else I’ve learned clawing my way through difficult situations. Perhaps sharing will help you avoid some of that clawing. And please share your own experiences of successes and setbacks — and questions about challenging situations — in the comments section. Or email me at [email protected]
Continue reading: https://www.forbes.com/sites/katiedelgado/2022/06/16/how-to-beat-impostor-syndrome/?sh=39ac71d23916  
 

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Let's talk about how to overcome Imposter Syndrome (IS).


I am an introvert by nature and identified IS as something I needed to understand so I could overcome it. Identifying self-doubt as the cause for my IS, which lead to me being "shy", was a key to overcome it. I had to put a name to it before I could plan the path through it.

Self-doubt rears its head in many ways to different people. For me, it kept me inside my comfort zone. I knew that I had to force myself to get out of my comfort zone in order to really break free of IS. I made a plan. I was going to put myself into uncomfortable situations and I was determined to learn navigate them without planning (I'm a planner and analytical, so doing this without planning the situation was a huge part of the getting to goal).


Step 1 – Plan the non-plan.

Keep an eye out for opportunities to start up conversations with a stranger. This came in the form of asking someone in the grocery store aisle with me what they thought about a product, or if they preferred this brand or that. I also asked other women in the department store for their opinion on shoes or jewelry.

I was flying a lot for work, so I would strike up conversations with folks waiting with me at a gate or even a neighbor on the flight.

Doing this was a low-risk situation. If the person I was asking wasn’t personable or not in the mood to talk, that was fine, and I lost nothing. In hindsight, every interaction was delightful. Even if the person didn’t want a full conversation, they were pleasant and answered my question.



Step 2 - Do something I would never do.

I’m risk averse (perfect for being a cyber security expert) and I don’t really like adrenaline, so I avoid anything that is in this category, including speeding. So, I went skydiving. It was quite an experience and I am glad I did it and I will never do it again. But I did it. It was the biggest gesture I thought of that was outside my comfort zone and I survived. No, I thrived after.



Step 3 – Speak up.

After I built up my confidence and created a new internal narrative, I was more confident speaking up in team meetings and advising clients. My teammates and clients valued my voice and advice, and this led to continued personal and professional growth.


I knew that if I could prove to myself that all the self-doubt was baseless and just the way I saw myself, then I would change that self- perception by taking these steps. I proved to myself through a series of inconsequential interactions that I could do all the things I wanted to do. There was nothing I couldn’t overcome and nothing in my way to continue my journey, this time with confidence that I can do it and I deserve it.


Every person is different, and this is what I did to overcome IS. Your journey may be different, and I would love to hear your experience. Please take a moment to share if this resonated with you or if your journey had been different.