The Impostor Syndrome Files
Do you ever feel like a fraud? Struggle with chronic self-doubt? Wonder if you really deserve your role?
You’re not alone. As a leadership coach who’s battled impostor syndrome myself, I created this podcast to provide a place where professionals can share their stories, shed the silent shame and feel seen.
Each episode features honest conversations with professionals from all walks of life who’ve faced impostor syndrome and found ways to move through it. We’ll also hear from experts who share practical strategies for managing ourselves and shaping environments that reduce the threat of impostor syndrome.
Let’s erase the stigma. Let’s stop pretending we’re the only ones. And let’s come together to share, support and rise above the fear that keeps us playing small.
The Impostor Syndrome Files
Don’t Be Yourself
In this episode of The Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about why authenticity is overrated and what to do instead. My guest this week is Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, psychologist, professor, Chief Science Officer at Russell Reynolds Associates and author of the new book Don’t Be Yourself. Tomas argues that it’s not raw authenticity that makes you a good leader. Great leaders care deeply about what others think of them. They leverage their emotional intelligence and engage in strategic impression management, which leads them to come across as more authentic and trustworthy to others. Tomas believes that instead of bringing our authentic selves to work, we should focus on being our best selves.
We also explore concepts from Tomas’ book Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders (And How to Fix It), including a look at how we overvalue confidence and undervalue competence. We examine what DEI got wrong, how gender bias holds women back, and how AI can help us create more meritocratic systems.
About My Guest
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic is the Science Officer at Russell Reynolds Associates, a professor of business psychology at University College London and at Columbia University, a cofounder of Deeper Signals, and an associate at Harvard's Entrepreneurial Finance Lab. He is the author of several books, including Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders? (and How to Fix It), upon which his popular TEDx talk was based, and I, Human: AI, Automation, and the Quest to Reclaim What Makes Us Unique.
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Connect with Tomas:
Website: https://drtomas.com/
Book: https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Be-Yourself-Authenticity-Overrated/dp/1647829836 (or if you have a preferred bookseller - bookshop, Barnes & Noble)
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Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:
Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:
https://www.kimmeninger.com/challenge
Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group:
https://www.kimmeninger.com/leadinghumansgroup
Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6
Join the Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/leadinghumans
Schedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session
Connect on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimmeninger/
Website:
https://kimmeninger.com