See Lisa Orbé-Austin on the Today Show with Hoda and Jenna!
Is a Lack of Confidence Affecting Culture, Performance, or Happiness at Work?
Your organization has some of the best students, staff, and leaders in the industry. But internalized doubts – about their skills, qualifications, or expertise – are preventing them from realizing how incredibly talented and capable they are.
The truth is that 70 percent of adults in the U.S. struggle with imposter syndrome. Their endless drive to achieve more and to feel more capable has led to an incredible skill set. Except without the confidence to take risks, take ownership, and take the lead, the impressive drive your senior leaders, staff, and students have shown will eventually lead to overwork, burnout and/or turnover..
You know that helping these individuals embrace their talents and abilities will lead to increased performance (and revenue) for the organization. But more than that, you want every team member to feel truly confident and comfortable in the workplace.
And that means addressing imposter syndrome head on.
What Are Signs of Imposter Syndrome in the Workplace?
Imposter syndrome is when – no matter what skills, credentials, and experience your team has – they’re plagued by the feeling that they’re unqualified. And the impact this self-doubt can have on your organization is enormous.
- It reduces productivity at all levels of the organization.
- It decreases revenue due to unproductive leadership behavior, like micromanaging or difficulty tolerating mistakes.
- It leads to self-sabotage, aversion to risk-taking, and a lack of interest in leadership among your highest potential employees.
- It increases skill gaps among leadership, management, and other key team members.
- It reduces collaboration and increases conflict among staff and the people they influence.
- It drives chronic burnout and higher staff turnover, including among key leadership positions.
- It creates the possibility that greater leaders are not seen as viable to more senior positions because their evaluations are not accurate regarding their contributions (e.g., undervaluing themselves on performance review, having difficulty with being visible leaders)
- It impacts company culture as more leaders must be hired externally.
What Happens When Your Team is Free from Imposter Syndrome?
Understanding what imposter syndrome is – and what it isn’t – can reveal the role it plays at work and how your team can address it proactively to…
- Dispel the shame that keeps team members from taking on new challenges and fully realizing their competencies and potential.
- Develop concrete skills and tools to increase confidence and productivity in the workplace.
- Establish a sense of community where employees used to feel alone.
- Improve overall wellbeing by fostering a positive, collaborative company culture.
- Reduce burnout and increase engagement at work.
When you prioritize your staff’s wellbeing in and out of the workplace, you’re doing more than increasing efficiency and profits. You’re establishing a collaborative and supportive culture that keeps and grows your top talent.
Lisa will explain the following Imposter Syndrome Topics:
- Developing a common language regarding impostor syndrome (IS) and how it typically manifests in the workplace
- Understanding Imposter Syndrome triggers and how to respond to them
- Increasing awareness of participants’ strengths, blind spots, and challenges, as it relates to Impostor Syndrome and work functioning
- Learning how Impostor Syndrome can impact team members differently based on cultural factors (e.g., race, gender, etc.)
- Gaining knowledge of the 3C’s strategy to overcome impostor syndrome, and to learn how to apply it to routine practice
- Recognizing how impostor syndrome may impact leadership functioning (e.g., micro-managing, poor decision-making, reluctance to take on highly) visible opportunities) and how to address it.
Audiences:
- General Employee Professional Development Session
- Association Members
- Keynote for Conference Attendees
Finding the Right Approach for How to Deal with Imposter Syndrome at Work
Meet Drs. Lisa and Richard Orbé-Austin
Lisa and Richard wrote the best book on overcoming imposter syndrome at work. Literally.
Their book is a Foreword INDIES Book Award Finalist and the focus of a Masterclass that reduced imposter syndrome by 30% in just 12 weeks, their research-based model goes beyond recognizing the signs of imposter syndrome to actively teach senior leaders, staff, students, and organizations the interventions they need to change their experience and own their greatness.
Their three C’s for overcoming imposter syndrome at work were developed using extensive personal and professional experience. They don’t just teach others how to deal with imposter syndrome at work – they’ve done it themselves!
The content goes so deep that it seems like a book that should be leather-bound with gold edges on the pages! Highly recommended for anyone who’s ever dealt with feelings of impostor syndrome and wants to fully see, accept and celebrate their greatness in the present and in the future.
“Own Your Greatness” is such a needed book! I wish I had this book years ago. The book has value right from the very beginning… The workbook has helped me work on myself as I read through the book; it makes the lessons learned to be memorable and easy to access.
Even if you think you don’t suffer from Impostor Syndrome this book helps you redefine and understand dynamics and thought processes that can be holding you back from achieving your full potential.
I’ve dealt with impostor syndrome for what feels like my entire life. Every time I accomplish anything I immediately downgraded the achievement…I LOVE the exercises in the book and find all of the information to be powerful yet digestible and easy to follow. If you are like me and struggling then I cannot recommend this book enough. This is a must read by true experts.
Invite Lisa & Richard to speak at your organization and give your team the help they need to…
- Clarify the signs of imposter syndrome and where their self-doubt comes from.
- Choose behaviors that break the cycle of imposter syndrome.
- Create opportunities to build community and develop new ways of interacting that help change their experience with imposter syndrome.
- Develop a toolkit to reduce the impact of impostor syndrome on their leadership approach
AboutLisa Orbé-Austin
I have seen first hand how imposter syndrome shows up in the workplace and prevents people from reaching their goals (or even thinking about their future).
I struggled with imposter syndrome throughout my grad school and early career. It took the worst experience of my career to help me see how severely imposter syndrome was affecting me personally and professionally, and to learn how to turn my experience around (a story I share in my TEDTalk).
I’ve seen how imposter syndrome builds – especially in underrepresented groups that get negative reinforcement in and out of the workplace. I know what it feels like to think you don’t have any choices, and I have dedicated my career to helping others overcome imposter syndrome.
About Rich Orbé-Austin
I have been helping students, professionals, and organizations of all sizes understand and overcome imposter syndrome throughout my career.
As the Founding Director of the Graduate Student Career Development Center at NYU, I helped graduate students to overcome their imposter syndrome to land their dream roles and to build competency and confidence in their fields.
My tenure as the Chief Diversity Officer at Baruch College- City University of New York showed me how imposter syndrome can be sustained at an institutional level – and how it can lead to greater conflict and bias in the workplace.
I understand what it takes to foster a supportive environment and to develop confident, motivated team members.
As I’ve always told my students and staff, “When you work as hard for yourself as you do for others, you’re going to be unstoppable.”
Join These Organizations
Who Have Worked With Lisa & Rich
Testimonials
“Dr. Lisa Orbé-Austin is a very gifted speaker! I enjoyed every minute of her presentation on Imposter Syndrome and have been practicing the steps to beat imposter syndrome when I experience it at school and in the workplace. It’s no secret that Dr. Orbé-Austin really listens to her audience, and takes the time to respond to questions with very honest and practical recommendations. She is very knowledgeable, very professional, and very engaging! I am looking forward to reading her book, and attending more workshops led by her in the near future!”
“We asked Dr. Lisa Orbé-Austin to give a presentation about Imposter Syndrome, and it was the highlight of our year-end team building event. Lisa presented a wealth of research-backed information and mitigation strategies that resonated across our team, and connected us by highlighting the struggles many of us share.”
“It is always a pleasure for me to work with Dr. Orbé-Austin! She gave one of the most popular keynote addresses at the 2021 Harvard Medical School Coaching Conference, sponsored by the Institute of Coaching, which is one of the world’s largest coaching conferences. Other events we have partnered with her on — our IOC book club and LinkedIn Live — have been very successful. She is an expert on Impostor Syndrome and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her to any organization interested in a research-based approach to this important topic!”
Book Your Speaking Engagement or Workshop
Are you ready to build a positive, supportive company culture to help your students, staff, and leadership team thrive?
Find More Ways to Overcome Imposter Syndrome
Introduction to Imposter Syndrome (and How to Intervene) | Own Your Greatness Book Club | Customized Workshops | 14-Session Customized MasterClass