Siouxland Magazine - Volume 3 Issue 1

Boss Babe
By Stacy Orndorff
If I’m being honest, this shirt cracks me up. One
thing I have had a hard time embracing is the term boss,
and I definitely don’t think of myself as a babe. But this
company offered it to me at a discount and with an
affiliate code, so I thought why not? However, wearing
this shirt has me feeling a certain way.
Have you heard the term, Imposter Syndrome? It is a
term used by entrepreneurs. It is loosely defined as “a
collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist despite
evident success.” It is when someone asks, “can you
come speak about how to start your own business?”
and you respond (whether spoken or not) with “what
the heck do I know about that?” It is when you clearly
have had success. You must, then, know something
about something. However, you still feel like you are just
making it up and fooling everyone around you.
Siouxland Magazine | Grow/27
Yes,I felt like this for a long time. Then I started getting to
know people who were running successful businesses.
I quickly realized I was surrounded by a large group of
people who were all “just faking it.” Of course, people
are not faking it, but entrepreneurship comes without an
obvious playbook. There are experts that are in essence
also entrepreneurs, selling their expert services, but we
are all in this conglomerate of people that are making
new roads for which maps do not exist. We don’t know
what we are doing, but yet we do it. Then someone wants
you to tell others how you are doing it and boom, you
feel exposed as an Imposter.
Sound familiar? I hear this a lot. This is what
I’ve done to overcome this syndrome. This
was accomplished using three tools.
First, share that struggle with someone! When people
started coming to me, talking about this Imposter
idea, I was elated to know I was not alone. To find out
this is a common inner struggle shared with fellow
entrepreneurs…. I mean, everyone wants to feel normal,
right?
Second, I sought out resources. Two of the resources that
have been instrumental in embracing my special powers
are John Maxwell’s “Law of Influence: Laws of Leadership,
and the law itself. The Law doesn’t teach you how to have
influence, but rather how to use the influence you already
have at your disposal. You do have knowledge in areas
others don’t, you do have connections and networks, and
resources that others do not. Acknowledging this allows
you to come out from being an Imposter and come into
being someone with value to those around you.
Lastly, being a student of who I was created to be. I’ve
spent endless hours discovering my strengths (Strength
Stacy as “The Boss Babe.”
Finder 2.0, Personality Plus, etc.) and acknowledging
my weaknesses (just poll your employees or family
members if you’re unsure...yikes). Most recently, I’ve
fallen in love with the Enneagram.
The Enneagram Institute was created in 1997 by
the late Don Richard Riso and Russ Hudson. It was
formed to further research and development of the
Enneagram, one of the most powerful and insightful
tools for understanding ourselves and others. At its
core, the Enneagram helps us to see ourselves at a
deeper, more objective level and can be of invaluable
assistance on our path to self-knowledge.
I’ve come to understand this Imposter Syndrome is
greatly shared by Enneagram Type 3. It was interesting,
and literally freeing, to find out this Syndrome is
characteristically shared by certain Enneagram Types.
If you haven’t explored the Enneagram, it is lifechanging!
I am, in fact, a 3 (with a 4 wing and a social
subtype for all you ennea-nerds out there). There are
so many great resources to explore in the form of
books, podcasts, blogs, etc.
I want to hear from all of you Imposters out there! Do
you know where I’m coming from? What has helped
you feel comfortable in your own skin when it comes
to being an expert in your field?
Stacy Orndorff, Stacy O. Speaks
Facebook @ stacyospeaks