‘Power’s not given to you. You have to take it.’
– Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, singer
Word to the wise: when it comes to creative work, as often as the best idea wins out, equally as often your ability to argue your corner and defend your ideas can be the dividing line between a supposedly ‘good’ idea and one that’s … just kind of ignored. Don’t let an inability to advocate for yourself be the reason your hard work and talent goes unappreciated – read on for a little refresher on holding your own.
Whether you do it consciously or completely unwittingly, littering your sentences with caveats and apologies in an effort to seem more agreeable is a sure-fire way to undermine your own credibility. Qualifiers like ‘I might be wrong on this but …’, or ‘… does that make sense?’ don’t exactly scream confidence. The same goes for using the word ‘just’ as a way to ‘soften’ the impact of your words. Instead of ‘I just feel like’, say ‘I think’; instead of ‘I was just wondering …’, ask ‘Can you let me know?’. Notice the difference? Stop apologising for having the audacity to have an opinion.
As a creative, you’re employed for your point of view as much as anything else. Having an opinion is (nearly!) as valuable as having an idea, so don’t ever turn up to a meeting and sit there in silence. A useful trick if you’re shy about speaking up in meetings? Try to say something at the very start, even if that’s simply a matter of joining in the pre-meeting small talk. Often the longer a meeting goes on without you having said anything, the more pressure you feel to dazzle with whatever you do eventually say, which can make you clam up even more – so break the ice early on. It’s a figurative and literal throat clearing, so the sound of your voice doesn’t come as a surprise later on, either to you or to the rest of the room.
No matter what level you’re at, giving off the impression that a task is ‘beneath you’ is never a good look. Being happy to roll up your sleeves and pitch in when needed is an invaluable quality, and one that means you’ll always be in demand. Having said that, a willingness to be a team player when it comes to admin and low-level tasks should be carefully balanced with clear ambition. You don’t want it to be understood that these tasks satisfy your creative urges, otherwise you’re in danger of staying where you are for longer than necessary. Be proactive in pushing for more substantive work – don’t just assume it will automatically be given to you as time goes on.
Do you sometimes find yourself secretly feeling like a fraud at work, or wonder if everyone’s secretly rolling their eyes behind your back at how useless you are? If you regularly worry that you’re not cut out to do the job you have – guess what? You’re not alone. In fact, so many people deal with that same toxic combination of feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt and paranoia that it’s even got its own name: imposter syndrome.
First up, the bad news: imposter syndrome is something you’re probably going to have to deal with at pretty much every stage of your career – it’s kind of an inevitability of putting your ideas out into the world for public consumption. Sorry. The good news is that there are plenty of strategies you can adopt to help manage your nerves, and maybe even use them to your advantage. Here are some of the best.
It might not feel like it, but the very fact that you’re experiencing imposter syndrome probably means that you’re actually pretty good at what you do. Think about it – have any of the duds you’ve worked with ever seemed even remotely concerned about their performance? Incompetent people rarely worry about being imposters – it’s something that generally affects people who are pretty good at what they do, and actually give a damn. Having the self-awareness to evaluate your own performance usually means you’re doing something right, so relax. Don’t forget also that as your career progresses, chances are you actually will be surrounded by people who are more capable and experienced than you, so it’s only natural to feel out of your depth. This doesn’t have to be a negative thing – being pushed out of your comfort zone is the best way to get better at what you do, so try to lean in to that feeling as best you can.
Remember that nobody expects you to be perfect, or to be an expert on every single topic. Saying ‘I need to figure this out’ or ‘I’m still working on a solution for that’ if you don’t immediately have an answer to someone’s question is okay, and something you’ll notice even very experienced people do – and the same goes for asking questions when things are unclear. Knowing you have those backups in your pocket can alleviate some of the pressure that’s stopping you from thinking rationally.
When you’re new to something, be it a job or a new project, doing a bit of extra prep can go a long way towards soothing your nerves. It might be a question of taking notes in meetings to go over in your own time, or occasionally getting to the office a little bit earlier to practise new skills or fine-tune your work. You won’t be able to prepare for every situation, but putting in a little extra legwork for the times where you can anticipate what’s required of you will make you feel more comfortable and boost your confidence levels across the board.
Your ideas don’t always have to be fully formed in order to be worth sharing, especially in creative environments, where collaboration is often the modus operandi. There’s no glory in trying to do everything all by yourself, and asking for a colleague’s opinion or help in handling something you’re unsure about is far more productive than simply suffering in silence.
Imposter syndrome draws a lot of its power from being kept a secret, and forcing your inner critic out into the open is often the best way of silencing her. Talk to someone about how you’re feeling, be it a friend or mentor (although ideally not someone you work closely with, as that could make you feel a bit exposed). They’ll be able to give you a level of perspective on your situation that you probably can’t achieve on your own, and help you rationalise those negative thoughts.
Make a written list of past successes, compliments you’ve received about your work and reasons you’re objectively qualified for the job you’re doing. Refer back to that list as often as you need to, to remind yourself of all the reasons you deserve to be where you are.