Fighting Imposter Syndrome, Knowing your Value

Ever feel like your successes are just from good luck or good timing? That they aren't as impressive, important, or as valuable as other's success? That you're a fraud, and that someone is going to find you out soon?

This is Imposter Syndrome, and many of us have been there, especially in tech where things move so quickly. Imposter Syndrome is, at its core, the doubt and fear that your accomplishments are unreal and undeserved. It can often creep up in our minds against all rationale and evidence - your boss is telling you that you deserve that promotion because it's easier than hiring someone else; the team-wide praise you got for your most recent project was only because people were trying to be nice; your colleague who asked you for advice is just sucking up to you. At a minimum, imposter syndrome can lend itself to anxiety and distress; at it's worse, it has the power to limit us in our careers - by not seeking out new opportunities, by not advocating for ourselves, and by not speaking up and using our voices.

The good news? We're not alone in this feeling, and we can definitely fight it. Join us and a phenomenal panel of women - we'll hear stories of experiencing and overcoming imposter syndrome, learn how it can manifest in different ways, and talk about how to get yourself out of the "impostery" spiral it can create.

Food, wine, and beer will be provided, and we will have networking after the panel.

MODERATOR
Katja Wald, Executive Director at the MIT Enterprise Forum of Cambridge

PANELISTS

• Michelle Lampa, Vice Consul, Trade and Investment Officer, Technology at British Consulate-General Boston
• Debbie Millin, Chief Operating Officer, Globalization Partners
• Stacey Wiessbock, Organizational Change Consultant and Career Strategist, JobssNow.net
• Dede Orraca-Cecil, Consultant at Egon Zehnder Health

SCHEDULE
5:30-6:00pm: Registration
6:00pm-7:15pm: Panel Discussion and Q&A
7:15pm-830pm: Networking