releasing the imposter: crossing the confidence gap from the non-technical world

RELEASING THE IMPOSTERCROSSING THE CONFIDENCE GAP FROM THE NON-TECHNICAL WORLD

By Andrea Goulet Co-Founder & CEO Corgibytes @andreagoulet

THE WHOLE PROBLEM WITH THE WORLD IS THAT FOOLS AND FANATICS ARE ALWAYS SO CERTAIN OF THEMSELVES, BUT WISER PEOPLE

SO FULL OF DOUBTS.@andreagoulet

-BERTRAND RUSSELL

IMPOSTER SYNDROME

@andreagoulet

Chronic self-doubt that overrides any feelings of success, even in the face of external proof.

High-achieving perfectionists are most susceptible.

source:h*ps://hbr.org/2008/05/overcoming-imposter-syndrome/

@andreagoulet

SOME DAY EVERYONE WILL FIND OUT I’M NOT _______

LIKE THEY THINK I AM.

THEY’LL FIND OUT I’M ACTUALLY _______just a marketer.

technical

@andreagoulet

“Andrea? She’s non-technical.” -my business partner on a prominent podcast

@andreagoulet

“I’m the CEO of a software company! Of course I’m technical!”

-angry me

@andreagoulet

“But that’s not how you introduced yourself to the new client yesterday. I just repeated what you said. Verbatim.”

-confused business partner

@andreagoulet

“Seriously? I said that?”-embarrassed me

@andreagoulet

“Seriously? I said that?”-embarrassed me

“Yeah. You did. Why?”-supportive partner

@andreagoulet

WHO DECIDES? A FAIRY GODMOTHER?

contacts

@andreagoulet

AS A SALESPERSON, I TURNED THIS…

query

cold call

prayers

@andreagoulet

…INTO THIS

message

personalnote email

contacts

fields

event name

month met

interest

biz cards

events

queries

templates

series

meeting requests

@andreagoulet

CLOSED LOTS OF DEALS

OUTSOLD OFFICEON VACATION

RESULTS?

#3 REP IN NATIONAFTER 6 MONTHS

@andreagoulet

WHAT SOFTWARE PRINCIPLES DID I LEARN IN SALES?

1. Agile - didn’t plan system. Test -> Learn -> Repeat 2. DRY- low tolerance for inefficiencies 3. Systems Thinking - Managing complexity and interdependencies 4. Database Scripting for advanced queries using Boolean logic 5. Loops - system repeated itself 6. Templates = Methods; Contacts = Parameter; Fields = Attributes 7. Object Oriented - Classes (ex: email is a subclass of message) 8. Variable Naming - had to name custom fields for correct insertion 9. Edge Cases -“a” before a field with a vowel 10. Testing - regularly ran test cases to ensure desired output.

@andreagoulet

GROWTH MINDSET

CONFIDENCE GAP

VULNERABILITY & SHAME

@andreagoulet

GROUNDED THEORY RESEARCHERDR. BRENÉ BROWN

GUILT

@andreagoulet

SHAME“I MADE A MISTAKE” “I AM A MISTAKE”

source:h*p://www.amazon.com/Daring-Greatly-Courage-Vulnerable-Transforms/dp/1592408419/

The intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging.

Holding something we’ve done or failed to do up against our values and feeling psychological discomfort.

CORRELATED TO: DEPRESSION

ANXIETY VIOLENCE

ADDICTION BULLYING

EATING DISORDERS

GUILT

@andreagoulet

SHAMEINVERSELY CORRELATED TO:

DEPRESSION ANXIETY VIOLENCE

ADDICTION BULLYING

EATING DISORDERSsource:h*p://www.amazon.com/Daring-Greatly-Courage-Vulnerable-Transforms/dp/1592408419/

“PERFECTIONISM IS A SELF DESTRUCTIVE AND ADDICTIVE BELIEF SYSTEM THAT FUELS THIS PRIMARY THOUGHT: IF I LOOK PERFECT, AND DO EVERYTHING PERFECTLY, I CAN AVOID OR MINIMIZE THE PAINFUL FEELINGS OF SHAME,

JUDGMENT, AND BLAME.”

@andreagoulet

-BRENÉ BROWNsource:h*p://www.amazon.com/Daring-Greatly-Courage-Vulnerable-Transforms/dp/1592408419/

“HEALTHY STRIVING IS SELF-FOCUSED: "HOW CAN I IMPROVE?"

PERFECTIONISM IS OTHER-FOCUSED: "WHAT WILL THEY THINK?”

@andreagoulet

-BRENÉ BROWNsource:h*p://www.amazon.com/Daring-Greatly-Courage-Vulnerable-Transforms/dp/1592408419/

@andreagoulet

KATTY KAY & CLAIRE SHIPMANTHE CONFIDENCE GAP

@andreagoulet

WHEN ASKED: WHAT % OF QUALIFICATIONS DO YOU NEED TO MEET

TO APPLY FOR A JOB?

WOMENMEN

source:h*p://www.theatlanIc.com/magazine/archive/2014/05/the-confidence-gap/359815/

@andreagoulet

60%WOMENMEN

source:h*p://www.theatlanIc.com/magazine/archive/2014/05/the-confidence-gap/359815/

WHEN ASKED: WHAT % OF QUALIFICATIONS DO YOU NEED TO MEET

TO APPLY FOR A JOB?

@andreagoulet

60% 100%WOMENMEN

source:h*p://www.theatlanIc.com/magazine/archive/2014/05/the-confidence-gap/359815/

WHEN ASKED: WHAT % OF QUALIFICATIONS DO YOU NEED TO MEET

TO APPLY FOR A JOB?

@andreagouletDR. CAROL DWECKGROWTH MINDSET

FIXED MINDSET FAILURE = SHAME

SHORT TERM SUCCESS WON’T TRY NEW THINGS

STATIONARYOLD ME

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GROWTH MINDSET FAILURE = GROWTH LONG TERM SUCCESS ALWAYS LEARNING

ADAPTABLENEW ME

source:h*ps://www.ted.com/talks/carol_dweck_the_power_of_believing_that_you_can_improve

Believing that your qualities are carved in stone—the fixed mindset—creates an

urgency to prove yourself over and over.

@andreagoulet

BE YOUR OWN FAIRY GODDAMMIT!

@andreagoulet

Am I technical or non-technical? BOTH.

QUESTIONS?

@andreagoulet

@andreagoulet

Contact Info@andreagoulet corgibytes.com