Steve Worthy

Imposter Syndrome

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I remember the first time I was asked to make a presentation in an executive leadership team (ELT) meeting. I was leading an award-winning retail team and the ELT wanted to hear my insights and observations as the team was considering expanding into a new international market.

While excited to make this presentation, I felt a wave of other emotions and questioned if I was the right person to represent the team. I was the least tenured and felt like I still had a lot to learn about the company. Even though my team tried to encourage me through the process, I did not feel as though I deserved to be in the room. As I shared my concerns, the common diagnosis was imposter syndrome.


Imposter syndrome can be defined as a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist despite evident success (Corkindale). Imposter syndrome was coined by psychologists Paulene Clance and Suzanne Imes and nearly 70% of Americans struggle with these intrusive thoughts (Doggett). How do we show up as confident and capable? How do we silence those thoughts? I can honestly share it was not easy, but I did the work and continue to do the work to try and mitigate feelings of imposter syndrome as an executive retail leader.


As I reflected upon my 25-year career as a retail leader, there were 3 strategies that I leveraged to face imposter syndrome: Affirmation, Celebration, and Preparation. As I connected with peers, they shared similar language and examples about how these 3 strategies worked to help them face imposter syndrome head-on.

Affirmation

Affirmations are powerful. Affirmations are transformative. Affirmations are life-changing. Even one of my favorite Proverbs confirms this, whereas “death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it, will eat its fruits (Proverbs 18:21).” As you are reading this article, I want you to know that you are talented. You are powerful. You are enough. You are more than capable. You have everything you need to excel. I hope you will adopt the practice of daily affirmations and continue to believe in your brilliance. Whether you write the affirmations down on your phone, on sticky notes, or on postcards, make sure you place your affirmations in a location where you can see them and recite them as needed.

Celebration

Celebration, as defined as a transitive verb by Merriam-Webster, is to play up for public notice. Whether or not you decide to celebrate in public, the idea remains the same. You must celebrate where you are and stand in the truth that you are not here by accident. You have earned the right to receive a new job or promotion. You deserve to bask in joy and not be overwhelmed with doubt or fear.

Preparation

Preparation, preparation, preparation. As you continue to read further, allow the words to echo in your mind and spirit. The more you prepare, the better you feel. Make sure you understand the requirements. Make sure you practice. Make sure you show up Day 1 Ready. You are more than a conqueror and your preparation should reflect that. You have unlimited potential to be successful beyond your wildest dreams. I am cheering for you and I believe in you. To check out more articles, please follow my blog for additional lessons for retail leaders.

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Individual Multiplier Case Study #2

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Our Case Studies have FOUR Critical sections:

  • Client Overview
  • Discover Statement
  • Solution
  • Outcome

Client Overview

The client owner of an $87 million construction company wants to develop a plan to hand the business over to their daughter. She has worked in the business for 3 years now.

Discover Statement

Establish alignment between Owner and Successor, while creating an actionable succession plan. Ensure successor has intensive leadership skill development.

The Solution

  • Long-term engagement: 18-24 mths; Establish Succession timeline: 3 years
  • Facilitated short and long term business objectives sessions to establish alignment
  • Successor enrolled in High-Level Executive Education Program to expedite leadership skill development.
  • Thoroughly assess the current executive team for bandwidth and possible flight risk resulting from the succession plan
  • Vendor relation acclimation – Successor began leading meetings, project planning and development processes, resource allocation, and vendor selection
  • Session Focus: Successor Capabilities Emotional Intelligence, blind spot identification, Board of Director Relationship Development

The Outcome

  • Currently in year two of engagement
  • The successor has completed Executive Leadership; exhibiting higher level of confidence during strategy meetings
  • Successor asking higher quality questions as a result, they are creating more credibility

Individual Multiplier Case Study #1

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Our Case Studies have FOUR Critical sections:

  • Client Overview
  • Discover Statement
  • Solution
  • Outcome

Client Overview

Executive Director, a non-profit organization has difficulty connecting with the new President. The client has a process-oriented, thoughtful, and consensus-driven style, while the new President is abrupt and bottom-line oriented. The new President is more involved in the day to day operations than the previous President. The client is concerned the President is becoming overly involved in daily operations.

Discover Statement

Clients need high-level solutions to mitigate conflict and drive to consensus.

The Solution

  • 13 Sessions – focused on clients’ current leadership bias, risk/change tolerance, letting go of outdated assumptions. Embrace change.
  • Common Ground Exercises Results: The good news is that both individuals are in agreement about the organization’s mission and priorities.
  • Discovered Clients had personal fears of underperforming to the new President’s expectation, before understanding what their expectations of the new president.
  • Session Focus: Empathetic Communication, Adaptability, What can the learn from the new boss, Body Language, and Peer Engagement

The Outcome

  • The client learned to embrace the diversity of thought and better Self-awareness:
  • The client established a series of Discovery meetings with new President.
  • The client proactively solicited ideas and feedback from peers and new President.

CEO Meeting Facilitation Case Study

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Our Case Studies have FOUR Critical sections:

  • Client Overview
  • Discover Statement
  • Solution
  • Outcome

Client Overview

Local CEOs and entrepreneurs needed a safe environment to speak candidly about new concepts, business problems, talent development, market share growth and competitive analysis.

Discover Statement

CEOs needed facilitation and a structured environment for ideation and personal leadership growth.

The Solution

  • We organized a free session to propose the concept
  • An initial group of 5 members. Group grew to 25 members within six months; Groups met Bi-weekly
  • Established subgroups:
    • No Direct Competitors but allowed for Industry Adjacency members
    • Partnered New CEOs with Seasoned geared towards deeper business analysis and solution creation
  • Leveraged each members existing skill set to benefit the entire group

The Outcome

  • 10 new businesses launched
  • 5 businesses established exit strategy through merger and acquisition
  • Clients created a better business vision, executive team accountability, and higher self-confidence to lead others

Diverse Entrepreneur Case Study

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Our Case Studies have FOUR Critical sections:

  • Client Overview
  • Discover Statement
  • Solution
  • Outcome

Client Overview

Diverse Entrepreneurs selected Worthy Leadership to organize, select members, and facilitate Monthly meetings. The initial Meeting was in-person, then moved to online only. Total of 5 Members.

Discover Statement

Clients with shared experiences and values were in need of community, authentic conversations, idea generation, and shared goals.

The Solution

  • 10 Biweekly Sessions: Participant check-in; business problem presentation, curated activities: Brain-Writing, Dyads
  • Developed Group Philosophy: Understanding is better than Speed, Understanding through facilitation creates controlled acceleration
  • Created themed session: New Product/Service Ideation, Executive team Effectiveness, Supply-Chain Capacity, Diverse Vendor Initiative.
  • Provided external presenters, if necessary to highlight shared business problems – legislation, Intellectual Property Attorney, Corporate Responsibility Expert to assist with program creation.

The Outcome

  • Safe Environment to share fears, challenges and successes freely
  • Generation of new ideas by each participant for sales team, Human Resources
  • Shared accountability for personal and professional deliverables for each session.
  • Clients felt acceleration in defining business problems and creating a corresponding solution based on peer experience.

Individual Growth Case Study #3

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Our Case Studies have FOUR Critical sections:

  • Client Overview
  • Discover Statement
  • Solution
  • Outcome

Client Overview

Multi-Unit Leader – 360 assessment showed the client is great at using statistics, logic,
and reasoning to effectively persuade people to get things done. However, the client
uses this style in the majority of their encounters with little deviation. The client can effectively communicate to gain consensus for new initiatives execution and operational procedures. The assessment did show a lack of innovation and creativity.

Discover Statement

Client feels they have plateaued in their leadership quotient.

The Solution

  • 10 Sessions – focused on skills inventory, communication assessment and blind spot identification
  • In-depth Breakdown of 360 Degree Assessment results. Focused on the top three feedback points. Reconstructed professional situations to Map clients procedural cadence and their “go-to” leadership capabilities.
  • Discovered Client’s approachability and connection with others could appear disingenuous.
  • Redefined Success for the client and closed gaps around authentic connection, soliciting period feedback from peers/supervisor, learning patience in the iterative process.
  • Session Focus: Critical Thinking – how to accomplish a goal differently. Communication, Personal Leadership Beliefs, Personality exercises to discover bias, team development skills.

The Outcome

  • Collectively created strategies to consciously challenge their assumptions, be comfortable with decisions that are not their own, and getting constant and immediate feedback on their performance.
  • The client was able to move past the data points by switching to a conversational approach for team ideation.
  • The client learned to stay goal-oriented by the reorientation of their decision-making process.

Individual Growth Case Study #2

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Our Case Studies have FOUR Critical sections:

  • Client Overview
  • Discover Statement
  • Solution
  • Outcome

Client Overview

Mid-Level Manager, telecommunications industry – passed over for two promotions. The client felt their leadership team was simply going by seniority. The client wanted to discover “Why they may not have been Chosen for the Promotion.“ The client provided previous performance reviews that showed them progressing well within their current role.

Discover Statement

The client wanted to discover “Why they may not have been Chosen for the Promotion.“

The Solution

  • 12 Sessions – focused on skills inventory, communication assessment and blind-spot identification
  • Conducted a 360 Degree Assessment gained additional objective elements for their leadership
  • Discovered Clients approachability and connection with others was subpar
  • Redefined Success for the client and closed gaps around authentic connection, soliciting ideas from peers, learning patience in the iterative process.
  • Session Focus: Elements of Empathetic Communication, Body Language and Peer Engagement

The Outcome

  • Enhanced Self-awareness: Client learned when they were over-leveraging their strengths
  • Improved preparation for meetings and acknowledgment of colleagues’ successes.
  • The client established new talent awareness for increased personnel retention.
  • The client began to receive unsolicited positive feedback from leaders and peers on their leadership capabilities

Individual Growth Case Study #1

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Our Case Studies have FOUR Critical sections:

  • Client Overview
  • Discover Statement
  • Solution
  • Outcome

Client Overview

Client newly promoted SVP with $1.7B P&L oversight, 30 direct reports, 15 dotted-line personnel, 5,000 Team Member for major retail company.

Discover Statement

The client was successful in the previous role. The client’s scope of the new roles is uncharted territory. The client needs guidance in identifying potential obstacles and success factors for the new role.

The Solution

  • 8 Sessions – Focused on (re)defining success factors: financially, intrinsically, personally, new team dynamics expectations. Developed Alignment Statements for the aforementioned areas
  • Conducted role and responsibilities in-depth review for the client and his team
  • Brainstormed potential skills for a new role – assess Clients current leadership toolbox
  • Collectively created short and long term entrance strategy
  • Session focus; Self-Confidence, Leadership Presence, Asking Better
  • Questions, Non-Verbals awareness, succinct communication tactics

The Outcome

  • The client created a robust and actionable entrance strategy.
  • The client engendered more trust with the new team with a galvanized vision and action plan for the business unit.
  • The client began to receive unsolicited positive feedback from leaders and peers on their leadership capabilities

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