EP 287: Don’t let imposter syndrome undermine your agency with Kris Kelso

In the agency space, we have to constantly be reinventing the wheel because everything keeps changing. By the nature of our business, we are always doing something for the first time which, by default, lends itself to having a nagging doubt now and then. In a world where it’s impossible to have all the answers, but also being a leader in an industry where you’re supposed to understand everything, it’s easy to fall victim to imposter syndrome. Fortunately, you are not alone and there are some fixes you can deploy.

Kris Kelso is here to help silence that nagging voice of doubt. An author and executive coach working mostly with entrepreneurs and doing leadership work, he has literally written the book on imposter syndrome. Kris’ book, Overcoming the Imposter is about silencing your inner critic so you can lead with confidence.

In this episode of Build a Better Agency, Kris and I discuss many aspects of imposter syndrome. We talk about its prevalence in high achievers and the underlying fear that it represents. We look at what it costs us as creative professionals and the many ways it can weaponize our gifts against us. And, perhaps most importantly, we’ll walk through some tangible reframing techniques that can quiet that inner critic.

A big thank you to our podcast’s presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They’re an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here.

• Why imposter syndrome is not gender based
• The reason imposter syndrome is more prevalent in high achievers
• The difference between self-esteem and self-efficacy
• The underlying fear of imposter syndrome
• What does imposter syndrome cost us?
• The damage of “productive procrastination”
• How imposter syndrome weaponizes our gifts against ourselves
• How to quiet the inner critic
• Helpful reframing techniques