The Impostor Syndrome Files

In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about why it’s so important to show curiosity and be vulnerable in our connections with others. Many of us struggle with building new relationships, particularly in light of changes in the workplace resulting from the pandemic. My guest this week, Rob Maloney, host of the Heart & Hard Work podcast, shares that his default assumption is that humans want to connect, so he’s always willing to take the risk. We also talk about the power of the growth mindset and why it’s important to show compassion toward ourselves if we want to support others.About My GuestRob Maloney’s life experiences forged a trilingual "learn-it-all" world traveler w/ 2 master’s degrees working at Microsoft and host of the "Heart & Hard Work" podcast. He empowers rethinking by sharing perspectives of purpose as a multiplier leader building communities where people can thrive together. He’s driven to reshape broken notions of fixed limitations and mental health while reteaching a growth mindset, emotional intelligence, and meta-cognition to actualize our full potential.~Connect with Rob:Heart & Hard Work podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/heart-and-hard-work/id1584116053Heart & Hard Work podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/78hIcCt8WybpRA5vdwQlGf~Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:https://yourcareersuccess.com/impostor-syndrome-challenge/ Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group:https://yourcareersuccess.com/leading-humans-discussion-group/Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6 Join the Facebook group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/leadinghumansSchedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session Connect on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimmeninger/ Websites:https://yourcareersuccess.comhttps://impostorsyndromefiles.com

In this week’s episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we look at how important it is to feel special and unique in our workplaces. We also talk about how challenging that can be when we feel pressured to conform and fit in. My guest, Taylor Short, shares how she helps professionals return to their true selves by understanding what makes them unique and how to best engage with others in their workplaces. She also advises that, while there may be times when it’s best to leave your job, our power comes from looking at what we can control and re-defining our relationships with our work.  About My Guest Taylor Short is a Job Reset Coach & Consultant, as well as author of Reset Your Relationship to Your Job. She’s fired up about disrupting the narrative that work is meant to be stressful and knows what’s possible for employees and companies when they shift their relationship to their job. Taylor helps people move from feeling stuck and overwhelmed to energized and fulfilled, without leaving their job. Having spent 15+ years climbing the corporate ladder herself, Taylor discovered a missing piece in Corporate America. The entire focus was on external success, but most employees were experiencing a significant internal struggle. Through her own work, she learned what it takes to balance these two and eventually left to start her own business – Harmonious Return - to help people reset the way they relate to their jobs. She knows when people are fulfilled internally, they tap into a goldmine of energy, passion and worth that positively impacts everything they do. Her credentials include: MBA, ICF Certified Coach, Nature Connected Coach, Yoga Instructor, Human Design Reader ~Connect with Taylor:Website: https://harmoniousreturn.com/~Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:https://yourcareersuccess.com/impostor-syndrome-challenge/ Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group:https://yourcareersuccess.com/leading-humans-discussion-group/Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6 Join the Facebook group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/leadinghumansSchedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session Connect on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimmeninger/ Websites:https://yourcareersuccess.comhttps://impostorsyndromefiles.com

In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about how easy it is to experience self-doubt and impostor syndrome when you feel different from those around you. My guest, Amber Barber, a senior director of program management in the high-tech industry, talks about her experience as the only woman studying physics when she went to college. She also talks about how often being the only woman in her workplace has led her to feel pressured to constantly prove herself. Amber shares how her experience with mentors has helped her to navigate challenges and stay focused on growing her career. She also shares tips for how you can find a mentor and maximize that experience.  About My Guest Amber Barber is an experienced problem solver, with nearly 22 years of fixing other people’s mistakes in the high-tech world.  After earning both her bachelor's and masters degrees in physics, Amber started at National Semiconductor in Texas.  She has since held roles at several other companies, including Microsoft and Lam Research, and is currently the senior director of Jade Global’s program management office, working remotely from a small town in Oregon.  Her passion for learning and guiding others drove her training and certifications in both PMI Project Management as well as Lean Six Sigma, where she earned Master Black Belt.  Amber is a proud mom of four adult children, and lives in her empty nest with two spoiled cats and her incredibly patient husband Brad.  Amber loves all things geek, reading for hours, and traveling the world.~Connect with Amber:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amberbarber/ ~Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:https://yourcareersuccess.com/impostor-syndrome-challenge/ Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group:https://yourcareersuccess.com/leading-humans-discussion-group/Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6 Join the Facebook group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/leadinghumansSchedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session Connect on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimmeninger/ Websites:https://yourcareersuccess.comhttps://impostorsyndromefiles.com

In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about our universal struggle with inadequacy and self-doubt and how to find peace with who we are. My guest, Karyn Seitz, the Happiness Mentor, shares her personal journey of turning to spiritual healing to try to address her impostor syndrome, only to find that true healing comes from within. She emphasizes the importance of putting ourselves first to find true happiness. And she shares a simple, yet powerful strategy for how to do so that can change our relationship with ourselves and ensure that others get the best of us. About My GuestAs a former spiritual healer, Karyn realized her clients were not getting better. She was frustrated that she could not deliver the results her clients wanted even though she was trying lots of different healing modalities and coaching techniques. Karyn knew she also wasn’t getting the changes she wanted in her life. She secretly lacked any confidence in her ability to change. Her adult life had stalled. In a fresh new search for answers, Karyn found the missing piece that would ultimately transform her life and her clients. There is something very profound in owning that she is the problem in her life. This awareness pushed her to confront herself and get serious about herself and her life. Karyn is now fulfilled in her life and teaches others the same journey she has taken to find herself and be happy. Karyn calls herself The Happiness Mentor and teaches an online happiness course for women called Awakened Grace.~Connect with Karyn:www.karynseitz.com https://www.facebook.com/karynaseitz~Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:https://yourcareersuccess.com/impostor-syndrome-challenge/ Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group:https://yourcareersuccess.com/leading-humans-discussion-group/Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6 Join the Facebook group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/leadinghumansSchedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session Connect on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimmeninger/ Websites:https://yourcareersuccess.comhttps://impostorsyndromefiles.com

In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about having a conversation about race in the workplace. For many of us, talking about race is uncomfortable because it makes us feel vulnerable or insecure. But as my guests this week point out, avoiding these conversations and shying away from real opportunities for greater inclusion and belonging can ruin people’s lives. This week, I talk with Suman Kapur and Tiffany Castagno, consultants who collaborated in 2020, after the murder of George Floyd, to create a conversation series about race that offers people a safe space to explore deeper questions and better understand each other. Here we talk about how to think about bringing these conversations to the workplace and why it’s so important that we do so.About My GuestsTiffany Castagno is CEO & Founder of CEPHR, LLC, a Human Resources Consulting Firm that supports Small to Mid-sized Businesses to build their infrastructures-to-scale, strong teams, and a strong Employer Brand and Culture. Throughout her 14-year HR career, Tiffany has supported organizations of all sizes and industries and is passionate about creating safe workplaces and Communities under DEI principles. Her Why is building more psychologically safe organizations and Cultures to support the people and processes within organizations. Tiffany is Co-Author of a Children’s Book, “Can a Zebra Change Its Stripes?” that teaches children about embracing difference and uncovers the importance of acceptance and what it means to make diversity our strength.Suman Kapur is a Professional Development Consultant, dedicated to supporting individuals and organizations through conflict management and culture change initiatives with a distinct focus on the values of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB).Suman approaches her work with attention toward self-care, compassion, empathy, collaboration, and awareness, all of which she recognizes as essential for transformation to a more just and inclusive society.  Suman works strategically and inclusively from data gathering to strategic planning, from designing and implementing workshops to facilitating Courageous Conversations.  Suman holds an MS in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University and the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution. In addition, she has a professional certification in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion from the University of Southern Florida and she is a facilitator for the Google sponsored #IamRemarkable workshops.~Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:https://yourcareersuccess.com/impostor-syndrome-challenge/ Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group:https://yourcareersuccess.com/leading-humans-discussion-group/Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6 Join the Facebook group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/leadinghumansSchedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session Connect on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimmeninger/ Websites:https://yourcareersuccess.comhttps://impostorsyndromefiles.com 

In this week’s episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we look at how many of us struggle to align our careers with our core values. If you’ve ever found yourself, consciously or unconsciously, engaging in inauthentic behaviors or uncomfortably adapting to the way others do things, you understand the effects of this on our bodies and minds. My guest, Emily Smith, shares her personal journey as a high-achieving, highly sensitive woman struggling with burnout and self-doubt and the steps she took to get to a much better, more aligned place. She also shares strategies you can use to better navigate your own career. About My Guest Emily Smith is the go-to mindset and success coach who helps high-achieving women move past their inner blocks to achieve personal & career alignment.  Emily works with her clients through 1-1 customized coaching, online courses, and retreats.  Emily is a published author of Wholeness Within and the Guide to Wholeness podcast host whose expertise has been featured in Bustle, Thrive Global, Highly Sensitive Refuge, and Authority Magazine.~Connect with Emily: Wholeness Within book: https://www.guidetowholeness.com/wholeness-within Guide to Wholeness Podcast: https://www.guidetowholeness.com/podcast Follow her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilymsmith1 ~Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:https://yourcareersuccess.com/impostor-syndrome-challenge/ Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group:https://yourcareersuccess.com/leading-humans-discussion-group/Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6 Join the Facebook group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/leadinghumansSchedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session Connect on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimmeninger/ Websites:https://yourcareersuccess.comhttps://impostorsyndromefiles.com 

In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we explore how the unspoken rules at work undermine our confidence and overall performance in the workplace. Many of us who excelled in academic environments with clear rubrics struggle to navigate our workplaces without a transparent set of clear expectations. My guest, Gorick Ng, author of The Unspoken Rules: Secrets to Starting Your Career Off Right, shares his personal journey with the unspoken rules and how he came to deconstruct them so that others can avoid similar pain and frustration. About My GuestGorick Ng is the Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author of The Unspoken Rules: Secrets to Starting Your Career Off Right, a book published by Harvard Business Review Press named by Thinkers50 as one of the top 10 management books of 2022.It is a guide to help early career professionals, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, navigate the school-to-work transition and ascend to positions of leadership, based on 500+ interviews with professionals across geographies, industries, and job types.Gorick is a career adviser at Harvard College, specializing in coaching first-generation, low-income students. He has worked in management consulting at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), investment banking at Credit Suisse, and research with the Managing the Future of Work project at Harvard Business School. He has been featured in Forbes, The Today Show, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, BuzzFeed, New York Post, Fast Company, Fortune Magazine, and CNBC. He was named by Thinkers50 as one of 30 thinkers to watch in 2022. Gorick, a first-generation college student, is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Business School. Find him at www.gorick.com.~Connect with Gorick:- https://www.linkedin.com/in/gorick- https://www.instagram.com/gorick.ng- https://twitter.com/GorickNg- https://www.facebook.com/GorickNg ~Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:https://yourcareersuccess.com/impostor-syndrome-challenge/ Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group:https://yourcareersuccess.com/leading-humans-discussion-group/Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6 Join the Facebook group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/leadinghumansSchedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session Connect on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimmeninger/ Websites:https://yourcareersuccess.comhttps://impostorsyndromefiles.com 

In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we look at the stubbornness of impostor syndrome. My guest, Peter George, shares how, despite his ongoing success, he continues to struggle with fears of being a fraud. He also shares how he has used impostor syndrome as a force to drive him forward and how surrounding himself with good people has helped him manage self-doubt.  About My Guest Peter George believes that everyone should be able to confidently share their knowledge and experience. As a public speaking coach and trainer, he specializes in helping executives, attorneys, entrepreneurs, and professional speakers be calm, confident, and credible® every time they speak in public — whether they’re presenting in meetings, appearing in court, or speaking on stage.  Throughout his childhood, Peter dealt with a lisp and a stutter. Consequently, he grew up shy and introverted, avoiding communicating with others as much as possible. When he got into the business world, he quickly realized that his lack of presentation skills kept him at a disadvantage. After seeking help, he now credits his public speaking coaches for much of his business success.  Over the past 17 years, Peter has helped professionals from around the corner to those in Fortune 100 companies develop into speakers who understand how to craft and deliver presentations that engage, persuade, and inspire, ultimately helping them increase their impact, influence, and income. ~Connect with Peter:Free resource for listeners 50+ Free Public Speaking Tips available at PeterGeorgePublicSpeaking.comBook: The Captivating Public Speaker LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petergeorgepublicspeaking/~Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:https://yourcareersuccess.com/impostor-syndrome-challenge/ Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group:https://yourcareersuccess.com/leading-humans-discussion-group/Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6 Join the Facebook group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/leadinghumansSchedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session Connect on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimmeninger/ Websites:https://yourcareersuccess.comhttps://impostorsyndromefiles.com 

In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we’re talking about perfectionism. Perfectionism seems (falsely) to have many rewards, particularly as we’re growing up. But the costs of perfectionism are often higher than we realize. My guest this week, Elise Holtzman, and I explore the roots of perfectionism, how it keeps us playing small and what we can do about it.About My GuestElise Holtzman is a former practicing attorney, certified executive coach, and the founder of The Lawyer’s Edge, where she and her coaching team work with law firms to grow thriving businesses by helping lawyers become better business developers and leaders.Prior to practicing law at Fried Frank and Morgan Lewis, Elise earned a BA in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and her JD from Columbia Law School, where she was a senior editor of the Columbia Law Review.In addition to providing consulting, training and coaching for her clients, Elise speaks frequently for legal organizations such as state bar associations, ABA Women Rainmakers, and the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD). She writes articles on the subject of business development for publications such as Law.com and Law360 and is the host of The Lawyer’s Edge podcast.~Connect with Elise:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliseholtzman/Website: https://thelawyersedge.com/Brave, Not Perfect by Reshma Saujani~Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:https://yourcareersuccess.com/impostor-syndrome-challenge/ Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group:https://yourcareersuccess.com/leading-humans-discussion-group/Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6 Join the Facebook group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/leadinghumansSchedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session Connect on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimmeninger/ Websites:https://yourcareersuccess.comhttps://impostorsyndromefiles.com 

In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we look at the ways in which sports, social conditioning and other cultural factors make it difficult for men to navigate mental health challenges. My guest, Brian Thorne, shares his journey from veterinary medicine to sales professional and how his life goals guided him toward a better career for himself and his family. He also talks about his connection to Boys Get Sad Too and his decision to get more involved in public conversations about men’s mental health.About My GuestBrian Thorne is a mid-career Millennial who is still trying to figure it all out. He has a young kid, an old dog, and an incredible wife. All three are way too cute for him but they make a lovely family anyway. Brian works from home and has a wall full of hats. You should ask him about it. As a child Brian wanted to grow up to become a veterinarian. Although he was in veterinary school pursuing that dream, Brian says leaving medicine probably saved his life. Today there are fewer puppies and kitties in his day job, but lessons from medicine continue to shape his career in sales. Empathy changes everything. Sometimes small bandages cover the biggest wounds. And treats are best when eaten with friends. Brian says his new goal in life is to be a middle-manager who doesn't make work suck for his sales team. He's pursuing an MBA with a concentration in Business Development and Sales Management to make sure of that.~Connect with Brian:https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianthorne1022/https://twitter.com/HatsLastMonth  (videos only)Boys Get Sad Too: https://boysgetsadtoo.com/ ~Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:https://yourcareersuccess.com/impostor-syndrome-challenge/ Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group:https://yourcareersuccess.com/leading-humans-discussion-group/Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6 Join the Facebook group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/leadinghumansSchedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session Connect on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimmeninger/ Websites:https://yourcareersuccess.comhttps://impostorsyndromefiles.com