Turning Imposter Syndrome Upside Down
Imposter syndrome will eat away at you if you let it. It’s the voice that tells you you’re not qualified, that you’re not good enough, that you don’t have what it takes. But imposter syndrome is a liar. Here’s how I know that.
A billion dollar company run by n00bs?
I have been thinking about this over the last few months: Nearly every single successful executive I worked with at Pushpay had never done their role before joining the company.
I had never been a CEO.
Our VP of Sales had never done sales.
Our VP of Customer Success had never done customer success.
Our VP of Ops had never done ops.
A one billion dollar company was run at an executive level by people who had never done their roles before. How did that happen? How did it succeed? Was it just good luck? Or was it something more?
One of the reasons we created Leadr was to teach people how we did it. We’re here as living proof that it’s possible, and we want to help other organizations level up their people in the same way we did.
Let me be clear: It wasn’t easy. It was very, very hard. Pushpay’s executive team worked tirelessly to master their craft while also doing their day jobs, hiring incredible people, and scaling a company that was growing at an insanely fast pace. It takes sacrifice to be able to do that.
But we also learned many important lessons along the way—lessons we can’t wait to share.
Competing in the startup olympics
Not everyone wants to be in the startup olympics, and that’s fine. There are plenty of jobs for those who want to make a good living, have a nice, balanced lifestyle, and take on little personal risk. And it’s not a cop out to have a job like that. We all have to pick and choose our battles and where we’re going to pour our energy.
But for those who want to build something nobody’s ever built before, and especially for those who are going to lead a team of people through the challenge of building something nobody’s ever built before, it takes a particular kind of philosophy to succeed.
Focus on your strengths blockers
There’s a belief out there that the fastest way to personal success is to focus on your strengths rather than working to improve your weaknesses. This is an incredibly subversive lie. For those who want to build an enduring, great company, it’s critical to dedicate time and focus on what blockers are going to prevent you from achieving success in all areas of your life. Think specifically about what will prevent you from becoming an extraordinary executive or employee.
Your weaknesses will prevent you from taking the next step forward. You must strategically work to eliminate them. A sprinter in the startup olympics has to perfect all aspects of his craft. You can’t opt out of being good at starting or follow-through...or anything else for that matter. Conquering your weaknesses is critical to your path forward.
Cultivating a ferocious work ethic
We must work hardest on our own selves. Bill Walsh asked his players to “exhibit a ferocious work ethic directed toward continual improvement.” We must hold ourselves and those we work with to that standard because as we (along with our teams) work hard, impact change, and continually improve, it will have a butterfly effect across the organisation.
It’s not hard to follow a leader who is constantly working on himself and improving himself. In fact, that person is easy to follow and an inspiration to those who want to learn and grow. You must set the pace for the culture of your organization. It starts with you.
Don’t wait
Don’t wait to start the hard work of improving yourself. Improve your competency, your character, your culture fit, your communication, your chemistry with others on your team. Raise the bar across your entire organization by demonstrating what it looks like to learn and grow on a regular basis.
Jim Rohn has a famous line, “Don’t wish it was easier. Wish you were better.” We can all be better than we are, and learning to conquer the obstacles in our paths (including our own weaknesses) is the key to breaking through.
The obstacle is the way.
The obstacle is the way.
It’s a brand new year. Get after those blockers, and you’ll quickly realize imposter syndrome has nothing on you. That uncomfortable feeling in your gut? That’s what it feels like to push yourself beyond your comfort zone. Get used to it. You should theoretically feel that way for the rest of your life.
→ Your turn. What characteristics, qualities, or skills are blocking you from getting to the next level? What’s your plan to develop in those areas?