Jodie Foster, Albert Einstein, and Maya Angelou, along with 70% of people hold feelings of self-doubt or being “found out”, sometimes believing that their circumstance is really just luck. Coined “impostor syndrome”, this mind trap also exists for many online learning experts and leaders.
Join us for an honest, vulnerable, and heartfelt panel discussion about impostor syndrome and how online leaders can recognize it, manage it, and rewrite their own “impostor” dialogue.
Philosopher Bertrand Russell wrote: “The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.”
This doubt that Russell speaks of can sometimes be positive, offering an opportunity to learn, grow, and develop. But sometimes this doubt can be destructive, suggesting to our innermost selves that we aren’t good enough, smart enough, or able to accomplish what’s in front of us.
This type of “self doubt” is sometimes referred to as the Impostor Syndrome. Coined for the first time 1978 by psychologists Clance and Imes, some research estimates find that almost 70% of successful people have experienced impostor syndrome. Some of the most well known of these these are actress Jodie Foster, scientist Albert Einstein, writer John Steinbeck, poet Maya Angelou, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and actress Meryl Streep.
Just what is impostor syndrome? It might be best captured by a writer from Inc. Magazine, who wrote, “When in the throes of an Imposter Syndrome struggle, you may feel that you're the only person in your circle (or in the whole world) who suffers from this level of self-doubt. In those moments, you're certain that every label you've assigned to yourself, including inadequate, incompetent, undeserving, unqualified, fake, and unequivocal failure is absolutely accurate. The pain associated with the Imposter Syndrome is very real, but the self-assessment that put you there is not.”
In this honest, personal, informative, and enlightening moderated panel discussion, a group of online leaders will share their personal (and likely vulnerable) experiences with Impostor Syndrome, as well as strategies they use to recognize, manage, and rewrite their own impostor” dialogue.
This session is geared towards any individuals (faculty, designers, administrators, researchers, exhibitors) looking to connect with the personal “doubt” stories of online leaders, as well as learn more about strategies for resilience and confidence.
The panel will share insights, strategies, and experiences about Impostor Syndrome, with possible discussions around the following prompts:
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What are common situations where online leaders might face impostor syndrome experiences?
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What strategies have worked for recognizing and managing “impostor feelings”?
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What are some examples of instances where connecting to a group of colleagues has helped diminish impostor syndrome experiences? How has this been beneficial to your professional network, career, and future opportunities?
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Conferences like OLC can sometimes unintentionally encourage and support impostor syndrome feelings, especially for new attendees or those new to careers related to online learning. How do we overcome that perception and those possible experiences?
Participants in this session will...
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Leave the session with actionable suggestions, ideas, and strategies for rewriting their own “impostor” dialogue
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Self-assess their own impostor level, using the Clance “Impostor Syndrome” self-assessment (http://paulineroseclance.com/pdf/IPTestandscoring.pdf)
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Identify at least one person they will actively build a network with to further support and mentor one another within the structure and format that best supports their professional and academic goals.