How to overcome imposter syndrome and advocate for yourself

Even though I had delivered this workshop many times and I was prepared enough, I was feeling a bit nervous, overthinking about it. There was a little (familiar) voice in my head that was telling me I am not good enough. I was feeling as an imposter, do I have enough experience to give advice in leadership? Do I know anything about it?

Sometimes we place on ourselves extremely high expectations that make this little voice to control our actions and even paralized us to get out of our comfort zone and develop ourselves.

It is important to differentiate when you think you are a fraud and when you find something that is difficult. Let’s take a hard look at yourself, your actions and your instincts to understand if this is what is holding you back.

Do you often compare yourself to others and feel inadequate? Are you constantly overworking because you feel like you need to prove yourself?

If this comes to you regularly, you are experiencing imposter syndrome. For many people these thoughts are little secrets, but they are really common. In fact, according to a review article published in the International Journal of Behavioural Science, around 70% of us will experience imposter feelings.

If you have faced any of these situations, that is imposter syndrome.

This is an emotional phenomenon that repeats over time. You might think that it came out of nowhere. However, with a little work, we can identify situations where imposter syndrome thoughts are most likely to arise.

For instance, when you’re learning something new or in a new work group, you’re particularly vulnerable to feeling like a fraud. Situations that make us insecure trigger imposter thoughts.

As a woman of color in tech, this was the thought screaming in my head as I looked around meetings where I was the youngest and only woman in the room.

I knew (deep down) I was qualified to be there, I have worked and progressed in the career ladder because of my expertise, teamwork and can-do attitude but I still couldn’t shrug the feeling of not fitting in.

We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to excel and compare with middle aged men in higher positions, for instance. We go above and beyond to be seen as equals. In fact, when we get recognized for our hard work, you might feel like you weren’t working as hard as you could be and don’t deserve it. Or, even worse, that you got lucky this time but soon everyone is gonna find out the truth and you’re gonna be exposed as a fraud or an underachiever.

I have learned to acknowledge imposter syndrome triggers with healthy habits and discipline. Then, reframe my thoughts/ mindset and take action.

Imposter syndrome is likely to be part of your life, so it is your choice whether you choose to let it hold you back, or to drive your forward.

A healthier approach to these kinds of situations is to analyze them rationally, and it helps to be prepared ahead of time.

Let’s dive into some patterns that can help us to identify imposter syndrome. Identifying your personality type can help you pin down (bad) patterns that hold you back from becoming your unapologetic self.

So ask yourself, what would you do if you thought you were ready?

Find your own path to become a leader. You don´t have to be a CEO to be a leader. You can influence, change the way people think is impossible, come up with constructive change (activism / role model)…

There are plenty of ways to be a leader whether in your workplace or outside:

Give permission to yourself to reflect about who you are, what you want to do, what are your values and give credit for what you have achieved.

#1 Set a plan to achieve your goals

Break them down in small pieces. Do you want a promotion? Set SMART GOALS and celebrate your milestones as you go along. Reward yourself.

#2 Focus on the facts. Write down your achievements & accolades. Nothing is too big or too small.

List your achievements and objectively assess the skills, capabilities and qualities that helped you succeed thus far. Reflect on your proudest moments. Then, Acknowledge and celebrate your successes and wins — publicly.

#3 Advocate for yourself: You can put yourself forward and bank on yourself. Define what success means to you without including the approval of others.

Don’t wait for your name to be called out. ⁣⁣Claim your strength, embrace your assets and reflect on how to leverage them more fully.

Focus on yourself and avoid comparing with others.

Make sure you tell your story. Every meeting, phone or conference call is an opportunity for you to tell your story in the world of business. Impressions matter, and every single interaction counts.

#4 Embrace your failures and take it as an opportunity to grow.

We have developed that limiting belief that failure means you aren’t good enough, you aren’t talented, you aren’t smart, you just got lucky. However, failure is part of any career, and the most successful people you know have failed at one point or another.

If a friend came to you saying “I am worthless because I failed,” you’d tell them otherwise. Why won’t you be that kind to yourself? Shift your negative narrative to a positive mindset.

#5 Stay away from toxic competitions. Get some inspiration from others but don’t compare yourself with them. With impostor syndrome, we tend to exaggerate everyone else’s accomplishments and downplay our own. Life can feel overwhelming especially if you are dealing with comparing yourself to others. Reduce media and social media use and separate social media from real life

Hi! Hola!! I am Kelly, DEI and mental health advocate. Seasoned branding and demand generation specialist in tech, seeking social impact through entrepreneurship and cooperation.

With a background in international business and marketing, I began my career in London at the intersection of marketing and technology. I have implemented and led different marketing programs, contributing to business development and raise brand awareness in the EMEA region.

Working for different size of tech companies in diverse segments has helped me to expand my knowledge in tech, while I was taking the lead in DEI initiatives. As a woman in tech, I piloted DEI programs in my company and led some initiatives outside. I am WTM Ambassador and GDG Santander co organizer.
I am passionate about empowering women to thrive & collectively succeed, education, data, tech and entrepreneurship.

My mission is to support and champion women and marginalized groups to unleash their full potential so they can become the best version of themselves. Making impact by changing stereotypes and shattering the glass ceiling.

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