I posted a LinkedIn poll asking "Have you ever had imposter syndrome?" Here are the results so far:
I wasn't surprised that most people said "Yes," but it was interesting that a fifth of the respondents was unfamiliar with imposter syndrome. Here's why:
Over the last year, I'd heard the term 'imposter syndrome' constantly, primarily from women, who used it when they felt like a fraud or undeserving of their success (i.e. job, promotion, recognition). This would lead to overworking, overcompensating, and constant self-deprecation that ultimately results in - you guessed it - burnout. As I dug into the research, I found that imposter syndrome is not a new concept; it's just a new term for an age-old problem. Here were two key takeaways:
There are 5 types of imposter syndrome: perfectionist, natural genius, expert, super-person, and soloist.
Imposter syndrome is a form of gaslighting; the system is not designed for women, people of color, or anyone who doesn't have white male privilege to belong.
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You might be thinking: "Shit, I think I have imposter syndrome."
So...what now?
Now, we do the work. The real work. Because the cutesy daily affirmations and "fake it til' you make it" are band-aid solutions that cover up the wounds instead of letting them heal.
Here is what you do next: head over to www.heymslee.com and sign up for our Imposter Syndrome Workshop. This is a beta* workshop that will take place in early June. There are limited spots so be the first to find out when registration opens. It will be facilitated by yours truly and I am the G.O.A.T. of hosting awesome workshops (humble brag). Please note: this workshop is for women or people who identify as a woman at this time; if that doesn't apply to you, please forward this email to a beloved woman in your life.
In the meantime, check out my recent Instagram reels that were described as "freaking hilarious and too relatable" for some laughs.
*Being a beta workshop means it's a trial run for this topic. You still get all of the great content, but at a heavily discounted price and you have an opportunity to influence the overall curriculum.