You’ve Already Got What It Takes
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This post was originally published on Forbes.com.
As you progress in your career and move up the organizational ladder, you can expect to encounter situations that are unfamiliar and daunting. Whatever the challenge — reaching a higher organizational level, being asked to present to the board, or taking over a new team — you may feel intimidated or ill-equipped. The door of opportunity opens and — whoosh! Along with the excitement, impostor syndrome sweeps in and tells you that you’re in way over your head.
When we feel out of our depth, it’s easy to believe that we don’t know enough and that we need to go develop a bunch of new competencies before we can succeed. And while there will undoubtably be expertise to develop and abilities to strengthen, what we’re usually missing right off the bat is not a new set of skills; it’s the confidence and emotional intelligence to use what we already have.
Here’s a concrete example:
Kiko was promoted into the C-suite as CTO reporting directly to the CEO. Being present at the “big table” was intimidating for her and she worried about saying the wrong thing or appearing dumb. While she had a decades-long background leading technical teams and projects, she felt that she should be participating at a more strategic level. So she approached the executive meetings cautiously and participated very little.
What Kiko wasn’t honoring was the fact that her background made her incredibly adept at driving for clarity and precision. She began applying this skill to get greater definition during discussions, ask probing questions, and make sure that no hand-waving went by unexamined. Kiko became the person that grounded the team and made sure everyone was on the same page.
Within a relatively short period of time, Kiko found her place and voice on the team, and her comfort and confidence grew. And she was able to the move forward on developing her strategic skills — but within a context of opportunity rather than fear.
So instead of overlooking what you’re already equipped with or standing nervously in the wings, ask yourself the following:
What have your key strengths been throughout your career? How could you apply them in this new situation?
What is scaring you about the competency gaps you perceive? Can you think of times in the past times when skills development was a positive prospect? As you make headway and get more settled in your role, you’ll be able to return to enjoying the opportunity for learning rather than being driven to it from a place of anxiety.
What images are you holding onto about what someone in your situation “should” be like? Try replacing those with images of what you look like when you are excelling.
What are the aspects of the challenge that you do know how to handle? If you emphasize those instead of the deficits, you can gain momentum and grow in your role right away.
As you lean into your strengths and get grounded in your excellence, your confidence will build. In turn, you will find your footing and be able to design an appropriate growth path — one where professional development represents a positive opportunity rather than a threatening lapse in ability. The bottom line? Be confident in who you already are and what you already know. You’ve got what it takes!
© Jennine Heller and J Heller Coaching. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jennine Heller and J Heller Coaching with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. • Photo by Andrea Piacquadio
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