Don’t let imposter syndrome hold you back from thought leadership

There’s a fine line between confidence and hubris. One will take you far in virtually every aspect of your life and the other will make you look like a prat. At the opposite side of the spectrum, it’s easy to lack the confidence to speak up on anything. Worst of all the outcomes, this could lead to you being totally and utterly ignored. 

In our world, where thought leadership is becoming more and more important, stepping into conversations with confidence is a great skill to have. If you want to read about just how transformative this can be for your business, check out our post from a few weeks: “Are you a thought leader? Why it matters more than ever”. 

In this blog, we’re going to talk a little bit about things that might hold you back from taking that big confident step into thought leadership. Namely, that big ugly beast, imposter syndrome. 

We’ll look to offer you a bit of reassurance, some tips and tricks on how to overcome it and how to manifest the courage to say screw it, I’m doing it anyway.  

It’s perfectly natural  

The first thing to remember is, you’re not alone. 

While some people might seem like they’re expertly put together, neatly organised though leadership machines, this is simply a confidence trick.  

The truth is, even the most braggadocios amongst us have crises of confidence, episodes of second-guessing and self-doubt. 

Some studies have shown that 70% of people will experience imposter syndrome at least once in their lives, so if you’ve got it, you’re in the majority.  

Many of the big industry voices you look up to might, in their quieter moments tell you all about how they have wobbles where they irrationally fear being outed as a fraud or a confidence trickster. It sometimes happens to us all, from the top of the food chain, right down to the very bottom.  

The negative effects 

The most nefarious thing about imposter syndrome is that it holds you back from realising a whole heap of potential. If you’re running a business and have a lot to say about it and your industry and how we can change things for the better, your voice should be heard.  

That insidious little kernel of doubt that gnaws away and tells you to stay inside your zone where it’s safe is hindering your creativity and potential.  

Reframe your thoughts 

If anyone has ever had a round of cognitive behavioural therapy, you’ll be well acquainted with this concept. It’s about challenging negative conceptions and reframing them in a way that’s helpful and less maladaptive. 

Let’s say you fear joining the podcast or industry panel event because you fear looking like a fool or being exposed as someone who doesn’t understand what they’re talking about. In your head, you’re creating counterfactual scenarios that haven’t happened, focusing on the most negative incantations of them and filling yourself with stress hormone.  

My imposter syndrome was loud on a recent podcast with Place North West about events themselves…

Now, instead of the negative scenarios, imagine the positive ones. This could be great for your public profile, for your business and the industry as a whole. With your voice added to the chorus of others, meaningful change could be achieved.  

This isn’t about suddenly switching you from nervous to brimming with confidence, it’s about challenging negative thoughts and seeing them for what they are.  

Positive outcomes are much more likely. 

Preparation breeds confidence 

Having a proper strategy that’s thought out and backed up by good quality knowledge and experience is a fantastic foundation on which to build thought leadership campaigns.  

As the old adage goes, fail to prepare, prepare to fail.  

When you’ve done enough to prepare for events, when you’ve absorbed and understood the brief and when you’ve got a raft of interesting and thought provoking things to say on a subject, you’ll naturally feel more confident about yourself. 

Remember, you don’t have to feel like James Bond, you just need enough confidence to get up there and make your voice heard.   

Build a support network 

As we said earlier, most people get a sense of imposter syndrome at some time or another. With that being the case, there’s plenty of opportunities for you to speak to someone who has had the same feelings, overcome them and done something positive.  

Building yourself a support network where you can talk, ask questions and get advice is a good thing to do in business, whether you suffer with imposter syndrome or not. It’s just that extra bit of positivity and support that could push you over the edge and into action. 

Feel the fear and do it anyway 

The biggest mistake you can make is to wait for confidence before you start.  

At a certain point, you just have to say screw it and fake it until you make it. Like so many things, experience breeds confidence.  

The first time you jump in a swimming pool or ride a bike, you’re bound to do some with some degree of uncertainty. Once you’ve put the hours in though leadership can be just that like riding a bike. 

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If you’re looking for a marketing agency to help you develop and implement a thought leadership strategy, Luma Marketing are ready and waiting to help step confidently into the conversation. Contact us today to get started.