IMPOSTER SYNDROME& other scary things as a community manager

CHRISTINA KEELAN

community manager @christinakeelan

RETHINKDB

➤ The realtime, open-source database that makes it dramatically easier to build realtime apps.

➤ 7 years in the making

➤ Been stuck with me for the past 2.5 ;)

HORIZON

➤ Horizon is a realtime open-source backend for JavaScript apps.

➤ Built by the RethinkDB team and an amazing community!

➤ ~5 months in the making

➤ They’re stuck with me on this one :D

What is my actual background?

Fashion Design + Psychology (= fundraisers galore!)

WHAT IS IMPOSTER SYNDROME?

“A collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist even in face of information that indicates that the opposite is true. It is experienced internally as chronic self-doubt, and feelings of intellectual fraudulence.

-https://counseling.caltech.edu/general/InfoandResources/Impostor

A FEW FACTS…

➤ The term was coined by clinical psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes in 1978.

➤ Early research suggested it was more prominent amongst women, new research suggests equal for men and women.

➤ Common feelings of “fraud” and like one does not deserve the success she/he has achieved (key word: achieved)

➤ Not a distinct personality trait, but some are more prone than others.

WHAT CAN WE DO?

➤ Caveat: not a formal mental disorder, thus no clear consensus on treatment options.

➤ Recognize it! If it is not addressed, victims can develop anxiety, stress, depression, etc.

➤ Embrace positive feedback (as hard as that may be) and don’t downplay accomplishments.

➤ Seek help or find a mentor. We forget others feel inadequate, too.

➤ Accept that we can’t do it all. Do what we do, and do it well.

OTHER SCARY THINGS!bum bum bummmm

METRICS!how do we “prove our worth”

WHAT CAN WE DO?

➤ What does leadership expect from you?

➤ Ask questions early-on:

➤ What are their expectations for your community?

➤ How do they measure “success”?

➤ Determine what metrics are necessary for your team.

➤ What works in one community will not work in another.

➤ Start to track early-on so you don’t get overwhelmed as community grows.

➤ Maintain open and honest communication with your leaders.

BURNOUTand other sneaky ways our mental and physical

health are affected…

SYMPTOMS OF BURNOUT

➤ Chronic fatigue

➤ Anxiety

➤ Insomnia

➤ Difficulty concentrating

➤ Increased illness

➤ Change in appetite

➤ Depression

WHAT CAN WE DO?

➤ Don’t wait until we’ve hit rock bottom (both physical and mental).

➤ Ask for help :)

➤ Make sure you balance your personal life and work schedule.

➤ Disconnect!

➤ It’s ok to say “no” (as hard as that may be).

➤ Take vacations, work from home, go for a walk, etc.

➤ Do you have a friend who can help? Support each other!

LET’S KEEP DOING WHAT WE DO BEST

THANK YOU!@christinakeelan

RESOURCES

➤ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impostor_syndrome

➤ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/high-octane-women/201311/the-tell-tale-signs-burnout-do-you-have-them

➤ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/high-octane-women/201104/overcoming-burnout

➤ https://counseling.caltech.edu/general/InfoandResources/Impostor

➤ Clance, P.R.; Imes, S.A. (1978). "The imposter phenomenon in high achieving women: dynamics and therapeutic intervention.". Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice 15 (3): 241–247. doi:10.1037/h0086006