In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about social competence. Many of us are uncomfortable in social situations because we struggle with self-doubt, have had negative experiences in our past or we’re not sure how to engage. But that wasn’t always the case. Most of us started out as pretty confident children who made ourselves smaller and smaller over time. My guest this week, Devon O’Brien Ash is the founder of Social Fluency. Here we talk about how to build our confidence through social competence. We also explore how small changes to our social behaviors can boost our confidence and change the way we see ourselves.

About My Guest
Growing up Devon moved constantly, he learned to adapt to change. Devon was motivated by his challenges as a young adult, including attending the notorious Columbine high school just before the tragedy, surviving cancer at a young age, and having massive reconstructive surgery on his face. He developed what would become Social Fluency at first simply as a way to gain resilience after his own adversity, eventually building it into a company that would serve thousands of corporate (YouTube, Google, Deloitte) and personal clients around the world over the past 16 years. Devon has been featured on AOC, Jordan Harbinger's podcast and Capitalism.com. He has amassed millions of views on social media. He has spoken on stages internationally for organizations like YPO and MindValley and locally, at high schools to help the next generation become socially fluent in a world that is trying to take that precious human experience away and commodify it.

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Connect with Devon:
Website: https://www.socialfluency.com/smalltalk-exclusive

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Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:

Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:
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In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about intentional leadership. Intentional leadership looks different to different people. To my guest this week, Juan Alvarado, a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, U.S. Army veteran and leadership expert, intentional leadership is not about us as leaders. It’s about consistently asking ourselves, “Who does this person need me to be right now?” Whether that person is your employee, your spouse or your child, it’s about showing up in the way they need you to show up. Here Juan offers a model for how to be a more intentional leader at work, at home and beyond.

About My Guest
Juan is a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach and a revered leadership expert, drawing from his extensive experience as a U.S. Army war veteran who trained thousands of soldiers in high-pressure scenarios. Beyond his military service, Juan travels and speaks to leadership teams and their staff to enhance team leadership and their staff engagement, yielding a heightened staff understanding of their value and the importance of their intentional engagement with each other. Juan uses his trials fighting through PTSD and shares how he has mended and strengthened his marriage, his relationship with his boys, and how he now teaches intentional leadership to people across the world. His impactful work has earned him recognition on FOX, NBC, and CBS for cultivating strength-based leaders and fostering a positive workplace culture. See why people say Juan is the most relatable and motivational person they have heard speak.

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Connect with Juan:
Website: www.weraizethebar.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rtb-juan/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raizethebarceo/

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Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:

Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:
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Website:
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In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about setting yourself up for success in your job search. Whether you’re actively in a job search or just starting to think about making a change, this episode is for you. My guest this week, Michelle Merritt, is the Chief Strategy Officer at D&S Executive Career Management. Here we explore how to maximize your resume, including how to use ChatGPT. We also discuss how to talk about negative job situations when you’re interviewing, how to have the dreaded salary conversation and how to navigate multiple job offers.

About My Guest
Drawing on her 20-year corporate career as a Fortune 500 recruiter and corporate culture executive, Michelle provides a wealth of experience for her clients. Today, she guides executive leaders through the end-to-end job search process, from resume writing to negotiating offers. As a sought-after speaker and trainer, Michelle is a trusted source for leading-edge trends affecting senior-level job seekers and board candidates. Recognized as a civic and local leader, she serves on several community and volunteer boards (ask her about her Guinness World Record). She is based in Greater Indianapolis.

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Connect with Michelle:
Website: www.dscareermanagement.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/michellemerritt

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Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:

Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:
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Schedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session

Connect on LinkedIn:
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Website:
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In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about how to maximize your executive presence without compromising your values. Too many professionals struggle to make their voices heard because they hesitate to sell themselves and their ideas. But what if there were a way to do all of this and stay true to yourself? This week, I talk with Aletta Rochat, an executive presence coach, who believes that stagnant careers shouldn’t happen to good people. Here she shares service-oriented strategies to help us build our confidence, visibility and influence, including specific steps to help you more effectively speak up in meetings, build trust with influencers and showcase your value.

About My Guest
Aletta Rochat is a keynote speaker and Executive Presence Coach. “Most people miss out on opportunities as they struggle to sell themselves and their ideas. I have a process that helps them build confidence, influence and executive presence, so they can excel in their careers.” Aletta works with clients from across the globe and also coaches TEDx speakers. Aletta is the author of Speak Connect Succeed – Build Your Reputation As You Speak Aletta describes leading, coaching and training as her ‘happy place’. She is a Distinguished Toastmaster and currently serves as the First Vice President of Toastmasters International. She lives in Cape Town, South Africa, and loves walking, hiking and running the occasional half marathon.

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Connect with Aletta:
Executive Presence Self-Assessment™:
https://coaching.executivepresenceformula.com/signup
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alettarochat/

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Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:

Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:
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Connect on LinkedIn:
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Website:
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In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about setting more realistic expectations for ourselves. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves these days to know everything, do everything, be everything. But, even if that were realistic, which it’s not, the world is moving at such a rapid pace that it’s impossible to keep up. My guest this week, Steve McCready, is a coach and psychotherapist who reminds us that humans have limits. And that to do the extraordinary things we want to do, we need to acknowledge and work within these limits. This means taking care of ourselves – emotionally, mentally and physically. Here he offers insights on how to prioritize sustainability and efficiency, including following the 80/20 rule.

About My Guest
Building on his past experience as a psychotherapist and his extensive study of the human brain, personal growth, and personal performance, Steve McCready is a coach who helps small business owners become more focused, productive, and confident in their quest to use their business as a force for good in the world.

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Connect with Steve:
Website: https://stevemccready.com
Daily Email: https://stevemccready.com/daily

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Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:

Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:
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Schedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session

Connect on LinkedIn:
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Website:
https://kimmeninger.com

In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about pivoting to a second act. Many of us dream of changing careers but we stop short for a number of reasons – our careers are tied to our identities and we don’t feel we can walk away, we don’t believe we can make a living doing what we really want to do, we are afraid of the unknown, and much more. My guest this week is Shannon Russell, a career transition coach who supports professionals in pivoting towards their second act. Here we talk about how to get clear on what a second act might look like and how to move forward with confidence, including learning before you leap.

About My Guest
Shannon Russell is an entrepreneur, Career Coach, Course Creator, and host of the Second Act Success Career Podcast. She helps women in unresolved careers pivot towards a second act career that produces a balanced life of abundance. Shannon spent over 16 years as a Television Producer in New York City and Los Angeles working for MTV, E!, Yahoo!, Pop Sugar, A&E, TLC, VH1, etc. She then pivoted to open her own business running a Snapology franchise teaching children STEM education. Now, as a certified Career Transition Coach, Shannon coaches women on how to change careers, start a business, and follow their creative passions to the fullest as they produce their best life. Shannon’s company Second Act Success (www.secondactsuccess.co) allows her to share her journey from television executive to business owner(x2) and mom. Shannon hopes to motivate more women to make big moves in life and follow their dreams through her businesses and podcast. She lives at the beach in New Jersey with her husband, two boys, and her chow chow pup.

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Connect with Shannon:
Website - https://secondactsuccess.co/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/secondactsuccess/
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@secondactsuccess
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/secondactsuccess.co/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonrussellcareercoach/

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Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:

Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:
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Connect on LinkedIn:
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Website:
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In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about neurodivergence. As DEI initiatives have expanded to include more of a focus on neurodivergence, we’ve learned more about what it means to be neurodivergent in the workplace. Examples include ADHD, autism spectrum disorder or dyslexia. But from an inclusion standpoint, challenges remain for neurodivergent and neurotypical professionals alike. This week, I talk with Dr. Matt Zakreski, a clinical psychologist who specializes in working with neurodivergent children. Here we talk about how we can all benefit from showing greater curiosity and communicating more openly with one another. Whether you are neurodivergent or you’re neurotypical and want to better support neurodivergent folks around you, this conversation will help you think differently about how we can create more inclusive workplaces for everyone.

About My Guest
Matthew “Dr. Matt” Zakreski, PsyD is a high energy, creative clinical psychologist and professional speaker who utilizes an eclectic approach to meet the specific needs of his neurodivergent clients. He is proud to serve the Gifted community as a consultant, a professor, an author, and a researcher. He has spoken over 400 times all over the world about supporting neurodivergent kids. Dr. Zakreski is a member of Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG), the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), the New Jersey Association for Gifted Children (NJAGC), and Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education (PAGE). Dr. Zakreski graduated from Widener University’s Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology (IGCP) in 2016. He is the co-founder of The Neurodiversity Collective: https://www.theneurodiversitycollective.com/

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Connect with Matt:
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/drmattzakreski
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drmattzakreski/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-zakreski-0a32358
Website: https://www.theneurodiversitycollective.com/

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Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:

Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:
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In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about reconnecting with our creativity by becoming a beginner again. As children, we are constantly pushed outside of our comfort zones. But as adults with more control over how we spend our time, we often avoid trying new things unless we’re guaranteed to do them well. This week, I’m talking with Cliff Goldmacher, a professional songwriter and music producer, about his unique approach to helping teams explore their innate creativity. Cliff works with teams to write songs, which stretches their comfort zones and strengthens their connections to each other while helping them tap their own creativity. If you’ve ever told yourself, “I’m not creative,” you’ll feel differently after hearing this conversation.

About My Guest
Cliff Goldmacher is a GRAMMY-recognized, #1 hit songwriter, two-time TEDx speaker and author who, for the past nine years, has been helping organizations innovate and build their creative confidence by teaching them to write songs. Cliff’s work has been featured in Forbes and Cliff’s book, The Reason For The Rhymes: Mastering The Seven Essential Skills of Innovation by Learning to Write Songs, encapsulates the principles of his workshops. Cliff’s clients include Deloitte, Bank of America, IDEO, the ATD and Vanderbilt’s Owen Graduate School of Management.

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Connect with Cliff:
Five Daily MicroCreativity Exercises: https://se295.infusionsoft.com/app/form/tr4tr-creativity-tip-sheet
Website: https://www.TR4TR.com
Work with Organizations: https://www.thereasonfortherhymes.com/workshops/

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Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:

Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:
https://www.kimmeninger.com/challenge

Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group:
https://www.kimmeninger.com/coaching

Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6

Join the Facebook group:
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Schedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session

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