Back Off Imposter

“Very few people, whether you’ve been in that job before or not, get into the seat and believe today that they are now qualified to be the CEO,” Howard Schultz CEO of Starbucks told the New York Times. This is the classic symptom of what is known as Imposter Syndrome, and I find the higher up the hierarchy you get, the more the imposter wants a piece of your mind. Even someone like Howard Schultz who runs a global company has to deal with the imposter. So what do we do? It’s complicated. However, my first step is to stop and recognise the imposter and ask "why would I choose to believe this voice? What rationale evidence do I have to say this is true?" Often, there will be none. Set the imposter aside and think,  "what’s the one thing I can do immediately to be at the top of my game where I and everyone around me will know I deserve this gig?" Then do it! Nothing will put the imposter back in its box the way action can. © GB