I’m Here Therefore I Belong

No matter how often I confront it in myself or hear my clients express their own experiences of it, I never cease to be amazed at how common the fraud complex is. Very simply, this complex is the part of your brain that says things like:

• I’m not good enough.
• I don’t know as much as they think I do.
• What if someone figures me out?
• What if someone discovers I don’t have the answers and am not as capable as they think I am?

This is an equal opportunity complex. It afflicts young and old, CEOs and line workers, poor and wealthy, failing and successful. In fact, if you are like me and about 95% of the people I’ve coached in my career, it affects you too.

But here’s the thing. You are where you are for a reason. You were invited there. You do belong. You know enough – not everything, but enough. It’s okay to not be perfect. It’s okay to not have every answer. It’s even okay if they think you know more than you do.

You’re there. Therefore you belong.

And if you are still nervous, just remember this. Almost every single other person in that room with you – all the ones that make you nervous with all their knowledge and ability – all the ones who might uncover you for a fraud at any moment – they’re all wandering around with that exact same fear. The fraud complex is striking them too.

Challenge Up Prize

I just listened to an interview with Steve Jobs’s biographer. He told the story of how tough Steve Jobs was on his team members. It sounded like the typical autocratic abusive power monger CEO.

As a fan of Apple this pained me. I wanted Jobs’s leadership style to equal his incredible product delivery.

Then the biographer went on to explain that back in the early 80’s Jobs’s team created an award for the team member that pushed back and challenged Jobs the most. Each year the competition for the award was fierce.

And Jobs loved it.

Yes, he was tough on his team. And yes, he expected them to be tough on him. He wanted them to disagree with him and fight for what they believed. A team of equals pushing one another to extraordinary performance.

My faith in Jobs is restored. The Challenge Up Prize is a great tool for promoting a culture of equality.

Thank you Steve for yet one more innovation.