Julia Flament-Wallin’s Post

Obviously, I don't post much. But I had the opportunity to talk to a few people today who are starting their job hunts now and we were discussing something that always comes up. Something I've spoken on in the writing world on panels, something I've always believed in - the power of imposter syndrome. Whether you study for 14 years, have a degree, go through a skill boot camp/skill-based school, most people start out with imposter syndrome. There's always that question: how can I get rid of imposter syndrome? Easy. You don't. Seriously. Even if you're at the top of your field, there's something someone can teach you. Imposter syndrome keeps you grounded, it keeps you aiming to be better and better. If you're starting out, acknowledging imposter syndrome instead of working against it means you'll learn that much more quickly because you're not trying to pretend you have all the answers, you're not so afraid that someone will "find out that you don't know what you're doing." You were hired based on your knowledge, it's now your job to increase that knowledge. Get comfortable asking questions, asking for help, acknowledging what you don't know. I'm in tech. If I stop learning, I'm already behind the ball. Something new is being created every day. I will never know all of it, and that's okay. My goal is to always have a network to learn from and be able to ask questions.

I've recently been asked a question and it's got me thinking and reflecting. What's the hardest thing you've learnt? Honestly I was lost in that question, and only now have I got the answer. forgiveness, and not for the reasons you might think. The hardest critic is myself, it has taken years of learning, developing and putting it into practise. I use to always re think situations and fantasy about the outcome, if i could change something to affect the outcome. I use to spend days in my head analysing what happened, what I could of done, or trying to extract an apology. This has no doubt caused issuses further down the line. It's only in recent years, I've learnt that saying sorry or for forgiving myself is not a sign of weakness but a source of strength. so now I have no problem apologising when I'm wrong, holding my hands up and owning it, turning a source of personal weakness into a source of power, its one of the hardest things I've learnt and still learning. So my question to you is, what is the hardest thing you've learnt?

Imposter syndrome seems to be the "syndrome" of the 2020's. Sometimes, it feels like a label that's applied to feelings that are a natural part of learning and growth. Awareness that we don't know everything is fundamental, after all, for building life-long learning habits.   In fact, most people should doubt whether they've got absolutely all the skills to excel when they've recently started a new job. We're just not good at admitting any gaps in our skills or knowledge, and our collective silence can let those doubts grow into a larger sense of dread.   Of course no one wants that paralysing fear that you're not up to the job, but that feeling of being outside your comfort zone can actually help you focus. Without a degree of challenge our work can quickly become monotonous, and we're unlikely to be learning.   So next time you get a sinking feeling that you don't know how to nail a particular task, don't tell yourself you're not up to the job, and instead think of it as a sign that you're learning.

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Mistakes are a learning experience and some are unavoidable. Remember the four basic steps to improve the outcome. 1. Take ownership. 2. Show remorse for the problem. 3. Express gratitude for the chance to redeem the aftermath. 4. Take action to remediate the issue. And most important! Reach out to others for help. You are not in this "alone".

You're not an imposter, you're just on a learning curve. I remember the first time I got promoted to a senior position. Starting work at age 19 I'd always been the youngest, always the one asking the questions. Suddenly, I was the one expected to have all the answers. I felt like a fraud and wondered if it was all a mistake. But, here's what I learned: - Nobody has all the answers - Nobody expects you to have all the answers - Nobody got to where they are without a learning curve Imposter syndrome is like a squatter in your brain. You can't control it, but you can control your reaction to it. Next time you feel like an imposter, ask yourself: - What can I learn that will help me feel more confident? - Whose help can I ask for? - What small actions can I take today to move forward? Everyone feels like an imposter sometimes. Just keep moving forward, and you'll conquer that learning curve.

When we make a mistake, it's easy to beat ourselves up and dwell on what went wrong. But it's important to remember that mistakes are a natural part of learning and growing. In fact, it's guaranteed that we will make more mistakes in the future. The key is to handle them in a productive way. Here are some steps that I take (and help me) when I make a mistake: 1. Acknowledge it / Own it. 2. Understand the root cause. 3. Discuss with the affected parties - seek to listen and understand. - If necessary (like someone is impacted), honestly apologize. 4. Reflect on what I learned and make the necessary adjustments. 5. Most importantly, forgive myself. 6. Move on. By following these steps, I turn mistakes into valuable learning experiences. I remind myself that I am human and that we all make mistakes. What's important is how we handle them. Have a fantastic week!

Learning a lesson can be tough or tougher. There was a simple option. But you skipped it often because it didn’t HURT. NO AGONY. So you learned the TOUGHER way. If you’re foolish enough to disregard that… you can expect the worst.