Audacity & Accountability
I used to think I had imposter syndrome.
Impostor syndrome is a term coined in the 1970s by psychologists and researchers to informally describe people who are unable to internalize their accomplishments. Despite external evidence of their competence, those exhibiting the syndrome remain convinced that they are frauds and do not deserve the success they have achieved. Proof of success is dismissed as luck, timing, or as a result of deceiving others into thinking they are more intelligent and competent than they believe themselves to be. Notably, impostor syndrome is particularly common among high-achieving women, although some studies indicate that both genders may be affected in equal numbers. – Wikipedia
I don’t think so anymore.
I’m not perfect and I don’t know it all, but I do know a lot.
My work cadence and professionalism has been carefully curated since birth :
- “I cleaned my room.” – Mother looked in every drawer, in the closet, under the bed to confirm. If things weren’t neat, she dumped everything out the floor, said things were half done, and patronizingly showed how to put things away or throw things out (for the first few things) before leaving me to it.
- “I finished with my workbooks!” – Every summer was doing workbooks for the next grade up. She’d grade them and call me careless if I got any wrong…which was mostly true, but still.
- Grades – Just in general. Grades. There was no reason not to have straight 100’s in elementary school and into middle school. 98?! WHAT?!
- Yardwork – We were all girls, but we all had to be outside when yard work was done. You pulled weeds, you raked leaves, you brought daddy water/Gatorade
and went for rides on the lawn mower. You stayed out in the cold or in the heat and worked for as long as Daddy did….exhausting work too! REAL work until you ached! You pushed through it and got it done! - Computer/Video games – I talked about this before, but these are all about problem solving and critical thinking. Paying attention, again being detailed oriented. You might miss a clue, you have to take notes. Talk to people…draw connections…pay attention to context. All skills honed in front a computer screen. (Hey Guybrush!)
- Geor.gia Tech – Most of what you learn at Tech is not really the functional area, it’s about how to survive in a place that will leave you on the floor if you don’t do something about your situation. No one will help you. You are 100% responsible for hustling to get things done. Make connections for Word (old tests and notes). Get a study group together to test your knowledge and keep you accountable. Be in your professor’s face so they know you to give you that extra .3 you need to get the grade you want. Learn the rules, the written and unspoken ones so you can succeed in a VERY difficult environment. YOU proactively learn them. Nobody will teach them to you!
I understand my upbringing was rigorous in some ways and that people won’t naturally be able to get isht done like I do….like I literally was specifically raised to be able to deliver in the way that I do. But still….it IGGS me sometimes how “old school” people lack just general common sense! Like if I hire someone to do something for me, it’s either because I don’t know how, or I value time and would rather spend it doing something else. For consulting especially, a lot of times we get hired because our clients don’t know the answer. It’s our job to come in and help them solve their problems…and really for the types of contracts my company does, we actually DO solve the problem.
Have been reviewing some deliverables done by others recently and I am dumbfounded. Like…people who have been working longer than I’ve been ALIVE are doing super questionable work. No detail. Looks rushed. Asks more questions than it answers. Scheduling meetings to talk about meetings… peen waving in said meetings instead of getting to the task at hand.
IT IGGS ME!
I’m feel like I’m always like this :
I felt like maybe I was missing something, but nope….it’s just a bunch of ad hoc flying by the seat of your pants and hoping nobody notices.
I notice.
WTF.
If you’re not going to be accountable to your client, at least be accountable to yourself.
Or maybe that’s the problem…people don’t hold themselves to any kind of standards these days.
Your work is YOU. Anything you leave behind represents YOU. Any deliverable you do is YOUR IDENTITY. AND THE COMPANY’S TOO! When you are physically gone, your work is basically your legacy.
Please be aware of that and leave behind better examples of yourself….
