In this episode, Heather speaks to listeners about a critical part of leadership: The Impostor Syndrome. She recalls a recent story when this came up for her and the reason for it. Heather’s message is powerful so you better stick around and take her major takeaway home to your own homes and workplaces.
Key takeaways:
- You are good enough.
- The leadership journey isn’t always a smooth one.
- Leadership is not about perfection.
- Own where your drive to lead comes from.
- Don’t give up as you are where you are supposed to be as a leader.
- It’s the act of Leading with Heart that your people long for.
This is a short, but powerful show. Listen in!
Leadership Messages
I have been wanting to do a lot more speaking on the topics that I love and has huge impacts on leaders that can change the world. You hear most of them here on the show. I’ve worked really, really hard to reach out to leaders and partner with them to speak about these.
Not taking a “no” for an answer validates me. It is my ammo. I believe there’s a need to hear the messages I tell the world, and it’s not because it’s me saying it. It’s because someone has got to say it and I’ve chosen to be that person to deliver those messages. That’s why we have this show, too, because we have people like you who are wanting and really hungry to hear these leadership messages.
It doesn't take money to make your people feel good about you and their work. It takes care and time. #leadershipwithheart Share on X
Good Enough
Am I good enough?
This haunted me my entire life. I remember when my college professor told me he doubted that I would ever go to law school.
I remember sitting across and telling him what I was going to do. I think he saw in me that I probably wasn’t going to be a lawyer on a long term. But the way that he said it — undermining and demeaning — really irritated me.
To be truthful, it pissed me off. But it drove me to do exactly what I told him I was going to do. He just fueled me to be that person I knew I could be.
What are the things that hold us back from showing our best selves as leaders? What are the things that are helping us or stopping us from believing in ourselves as leaders?
Impostor Syndrome
Often we have this Impostor Syndrome, this idea of asking:
“Do we belong here?
“Do we deserve to lead these people?”
“Are we worthy to be followed?
We think about that drive to lead. Sometimes the drive is positive and sometimes, it’s negative. If you’ve read my book, you know exactly where this starts from.
Sometimes we just need inspiration. #leadershipwithheart Share on X
I’ve been left out and treated like a step child and a black sheep by my family. I felt like my voice was not important at all. I just didn’t matter. I was just stuck in my life.
It was the rejection by not putting my picture on the wall, by not introducing me to friends, by not going to weddings or bar mitzvahs and sometimes watching my mother go without me. It was super hurtful.
For them, I would never be good enough. But I had to convince myself otherwise, and I am still doing that. As leaders, sometimes we do this. It could be healthy or unhealthy, but we’re all seeking to prove to ourselves that we can be our best selves. We give ourselves permission to be the best leaders we can be — in our home, in our community and in our organization.
I was supposed to have the pain that I had early on. I was supposed to go to law school and quit after practicing for a couple of years. Then land where I am at, right here, right now.
There are no accidents based on the journeys we all take. #leadershipwithheart Share on X
The pain and rejection I had were catalysts for me to lead teams in compassionate ways. #leadershipwithheart Share on X
I got to a point where I realized this 'good enough' concept was actually BS. #leadershipwithheart Share on X
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