 Hi, I'm Geoff Watts and this Lightbulb Talk is about tackling the imposter syndrome as a leader. The imposter syndrome is a term given to the feeling that we're not as good as others think we are and that this will be found out. Most people have an element of this at times in their lives and it can be healthy because it stops us from being over-confident or appearing arrogant. However, it can lead to significant anxiety and we never feel comfortable and it can stop us from putting ourselves out there. Symptoms include an inability to internalize our accomplishments, attributing any success we have to luck or just being in the right place at the right time. We feel like a fraud who will soon be found out and that other people have an over-inflated view of us. First of all, this feeling of being an imposter can cause us to avoid taking on positions of leadership and it can also inhibit our ability to lead effectively when we do get there. It can stop us from putting our vision forward from speaking up in front of other leaders, from tackling the difficult challenges of leadership and it can eat into our personal well-being as we over-analyze our decisions and actions. The first thing is to realize that this is incredibly normal and that everyone else is probably feeling the same thing. Putting yourself on a level playing field with everyone else in the room is a good start to giving yourself the space to give yourself the credit you deserve. Secondly, try getting feedback from other people on your skills, your strengths and your character then consciously practice accepting this feedback and internalizing it. Begin taking credit for yourself and you'll become a more confident and genuine leader. Try looking back over your career and if it helps put yourself in the position of something neutral to look at your successes. Practice adopting a positive perspective of your actions. It isn't arrogant to recognize what you've done well and worked hard to achieve. Finally, be aware that many of your people will be suffering from this and if you can empathize with them sharing your insecurities and giving them the tools and support to beat their own imposter syndrome then your stock as a leader will increase dramatically. Remember, it's not about never doubting yourself. A little bit of humility and self-doubt will increase your diligence and conscientiousness. The key is to not let it become inhibitive for you or others. You can start by congratulating yourself for watching this video as you wouldn't be doing that if you weren't conscientiously looking to improve yourself. Thanks for watching.