Unmasking The Real You
By Sandi Coyne-Gilbert, MBA DM, MS Organizational Leadership Program Director, Goodwin College
I
mposter Syndrome: It’s a problem that affects people from all walks of life, in all types of organizations. It’s often most associated with people who are viewed as extremely successful. Mike Myers of Satur- day Night Live fame shared, “I still believe that at any time the no-talent police will come and arrest me.”
From Winston Churchill, to Serena Wil-
liams, to Michelle Obama, to Lady Gaga, individuals feel plagued by feelings of self- doubt and disconnect from their accomplish- ments. To outsiders, these individuals appear self-assured and confi dent, but beneath the calm surface lies an ugly reality: a person who believes that everything is a lie, and that they are a fraud.
First defi ned in 1978 by Doctors Paulina Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes, the Imposter Syndrome was “unmasked” in a study of 150 very successful women. In this study, each woman believed her success was nothing more than being in the right place at the right time. These women were unable to enjoy the fruits of their labors, and so they merely continued to do their work while fearing the possibility of being unmasked. Now, from personal coaches to medical school personnel, the Imposter Syndrome that was once a dirty little secret has become better understood. Recent researchers estimate that as much as 80 percent of the population will deal with this feeling of being an imposter at least once in their life. Some will fi nd it a permanent part of their responses.
Typically, people encounter Imposter
Syndrome when they experience success, or embark in a new direction without any previous experience — entering into a graduate program, for example. Being ac- cepted into a program can be an amazing high, but soon the feelings of accomplish- ment begin to fade, and people fi nd them-
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People encounter Imposter Syndrome when they experience success, or embark in a new direction without any previous experience — entering into a graduate program, for example.
selves face-to-face with questions about whether they can do the work. Imposter Syndrome makes them feel incapable and lacking critical skills. It can paralyze even the best students or employees and keep individuals reaching their full potential.
Does Imposter Syndrome Hold You Back? If you are considering graduate school,
you need to know that you can do it. Good- win College’s master’s degree in Organiza- tional Leadership (MSOL) program embraces the individual leader in each person. No two people are the same, and Goodwin believes all students are leaders already, headed in a
unique direction with purpose and perspec- tive. The basis of your self-leadership is the foundation on which you will build your leadership style.
Imposter Syndrome is more than just a
challenge. It is an opportunity to guide you so you can guide others as a leader. You should know that you are not alone. The students in Goodwin’s MSOL program have similar concerns and fears. The program is structured in a cohort model, meaning you will take the journey to achieving your MSOL degree with the same classmates from start to fi nish. Along the way, you will fi nd support from your peers – a fundamental part of how you deal with your imposter feelings. Good- win can help you recognize and fi nd joy in your accomplishments and identify areas where you can grow and learn.
If you experience Imposter Syndrome and the debilitating feeling of being un- masked is always holding you back, you don’t have to just deal with it. At Goodwin College, you can fl ourish in an environment where people care and support you. There, you’ll be taken from where you are to where you want to be.
Sandi Coyne-Gilbert is an accomplished leader with ex- perience in both the education and nonprofi t sectors. Coyne- Gilbert specializes in working with adult learners and is en-
thusiastic about instilling a passion for life- long learning in her students. Coyne-Gilbert brings her experiences to the classroom as program director for the master’s degree in Organizational Leadership at Goodwin College. Are you ready to make a lasting impact? She’d love to hear from you. Call us today: 800.889.3282 or learn more at
www.goodwin.edu/leadership. Start on the path to a brighter, more fulfi lling future this spring. Classes start on January 13. See ad on page 18.
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