Over the past year I’ve heard some really interesting takes on imposter syndrome. I deeply appreciated the passion with which Reshma Saujani (Founder of Girls Who Code) spoke at Smith College about imposter syndrome being “a tool” and a “strategy” - an external force that is used to hold people (women, specifically) down by convincing them there is something wrong with them. Saujani also touched on an important concept with one line about how institutions were not built for her, noting that “it’s easy to feel like you don’t fit in when you don’t fit in.” This concept was brought into full view in Esther Saehyun Lee’s article “You’re not feeling imposter syndrome, you are an imposter: Identity and belonging in nonprofit work.”

Both Saujani and Lee point out that we cannot equate “feeling like an outsider” with the classic imposter syndrome view that “I am not good enough to be here.” The “imposter-ness” of the situation is not internally based within a person, it is something from outside that has unfortunately made its way inside of many. But as Lee notes, flipping this script is how we can frame our view of the world to help overcome feelings of imposter syndrome. Instead of looking within, we can “[contextualise our] imposter syndrome to systemic issues, not just individual failings.”

I don’t think anyone is suggesting that we abandon looking within altogether from this journey. In fact, without imposter syndrome in the way, we can look within and see all of the special and glorious things that we bring the table. This includes our demographic “other-ness,” and also the differences in our individual knowledge and experience, or lack thereof. What I mean here is to address the fact that we will always, all of us, be in positions where we are learning something new or trying something new in the presence of others who already know it or have already done it.

Many of us will feel out of place in these types of situations, and this happens constantly, over and over again, when we are working with data and technology. These terms (data & tech) are so vast and wide reaching now that we have dozens if not hundreds of different areas of specialty within them. In doing some minor internet research for this writing I learned about degree programs that offer specialties in Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Quantum Science and Technology, Cybersecurity, Emerging Technologies, Internet-of-Things & Edge Computing, and more. Some people will dedicate their entire lives to researching and working in just one of these areas, truly becoming subject matter experts.

For most of us working in social justice work, particularly at social profit organizations (trying to do my part to stop using the term “non-profit”), we don’t need all of that expertise. What our tech experts need to have even more than technical knowledge is curiosity, grit, resilience, relationship-building skills, willingness to question the status quo, imagination, the ability to seek out help, collaboration skills, the ability to tap into beginner’s mindset, systems-thinking and detail-orientation, innovation, and more like this. Our level of expertise in any specific or general technological area should not hold anyone back or lend to feelings of being an imposter.

Knowing this, we can overcome the effects of imposter syndrome from two high-level approaches:

1. Recognizing the instigators of imposter syndrome are outside of us, not within
2. Celebrating and strengthening the parts within us that actually do make us successful

This work can be done in many ways. In April 2025 I’ll present on this topic at the NTEN Nonprofit Technology Conference in Baltimore. It is a 60-minute workshop, but I’m really excited to see just how far we can overcome imposter syndrome in that short time.

For a longer focus, I am offering a small group coaching program designed to address both high-level approaches through shared learning, individual and group exercises, community building, and live coaching. For 60 days, we will work together on weekly 90-minute calls to identify where imposter syndrome is negatively effecting our work and our lives and train ourselves and each other to actively reject these influences and make the most impact we can in the world, unencumbered by this nasty little phenomenon.

I want to hear from you - reply to this email to let me know if a group coaching program for defeating imposter syndrome would be helpful for you or someone in your life. I'm looking for 5 people who would be part of the program completely for free starting in January 2025.

And if you just want to chat about how imposter syndrome may be manifesting in your life, let’s get a time to talk about it.