Do you feel like you’re on the cusp of getting “found out” that you’re a fraud? Christine Liu (2022), innovative editor at Harvard Business Publishing, describes this feeling as Imposter Syndrome. It goes a bit deeper than this for some. For example, people who are overcome by imposter syndrome fail to internalize their own accomplishments and instead continue to doubt themselves (Bravata, et al., 2019). It can pause the creativity, productivity, critical thinking, expansion, and socializing of many amazing people. Being authentic is of chief concern when it comes to expressing and innovating in a meaningful way … and both of these are crucial to enhancing the business world.

We all intuitively know the term perfectionism; you don’t need a formal definition. Your gut tells you what it is. For most, we find ourselves facing that very high-performance bar at some point in our career. At times, the strive for perfectionism provides added value and drives positive impact. But do you know the depth of the downside of perfectionism? “Perfectionism is much more complex than having high standards and critical self-evaluations; it compulsively affects a person’s social environment, relationships with others, and relationship with themselves. Perfectionism can leave one debilitated and is associated with health issues such as clinical depression, increased life stresses, anorexia nervosa, and early death, among other things, in some populations (Curran & Hill, 2017).

The moment someone sees you, on camera or in person, they begin to form an impression.  The way you look and carry yourself sets the foundation well before you begin to tell your story.  Understanding the science of body language is worth your time:  it’s so much easier to begin from a positive first impression than to rebuild from a negative start.

Too often we unconsciously fuel an underlying assumption that work, and wellness are an either/or situation.  Perhaps historically, corporate culture may have reinforced this notion.  But current shifts in work practices are debunking this old mindset, and helping us all (individuals, peer groups, managers, and leaders) build careers that also make us better, happier people. 

When work drones on with conversation after conversation, it’s easy to get drowned out. Taking a moment to strategize for engagement will significantly improve your impact. It’s important to have a personal framework to optimize your conversation style and executive presence. Here’s a starting point.

Want to get promoted – you need to stand out!   You are in the mix of great colleagues; what uniqueness sets you apart?  Being distinguishable is critical. 

Brand makes things memorable.  A good brand is palpable. It shapes not only how we think, but our narrative and our expectations.  It builds trust.  

And for career success, you need to do the same … 

We need to get back to the honesty that connected us early on… 

Feedback systems in most workplaces are currently broken. HBR reports, “… it’s still broken and has become a political and bureaucratic battlefield.  Part of the reason it doesn’t work, in our view, is that all the power still rests with the boss. Additionally, the end-of-year performance review often becomes a negotiation around compensation and promotion rather than a true development discussion.”  

While most work related images use linear or iterative process diagrams to depict operations, I think the best careers are an artful mash up of things that deeply matter to you. This may be frustrating at times because it is not the familiar lines and boxes or neat equations with simple answers, but that’s not the reality of you or your career satisfaction. Rather, you’ll find your satisfaction, and thus your success, by looking at the collage of things that stand out in your experiences as the things you remember most fondly. Those experiences share patterns that  illuminate what drives your energy, strength and happiness.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health[1], fear of public speaking affects 73% of the population.  Often, this personal fear trickles into everyday conversation, preventing us from being our best at work.  Have you ever been in a meeting with an idea to add, but the voice in your head is making you spin.  “Is this really important?” “What phrasing would be best?” “Will they think this is stupid?” And the group’s conversation continues, and you’re distracted from the content while the voice in your head is still whispering doubts.  “Does it matter now?” “Seems they’ve moved on …” “Perhaps it wasn’t really important anyway.”  And the meeting ends with you still in silence.