In this episode of Creating Confidence with Heather Monahan, both Monahan and her guest Andrew Metz, a sales leader, discuss overcoming imposter syndrome and self-doubt in their careers. They share personal experiences of doubting their worthiness for promotions, despite inner voices affirming their capabilities and driving them forward.
Metz also explores building trust and fostering vulnerability as a leader, encouraging tactics like connecting with teams on a personal level and modeling the behavior you want to see. The conversation delves into confidence-boosting strategies for teams, such as acknowledging small wins, peer mentorship, and incorporating humor in professional settings.
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Andrew Metz and Heather Monahan share their personal battles with imposter syndrome. Metz admits to doubting his worthiness while rising through the ranks, but an inner voice drove him to overcome self-doubt, recognizing each challenge as a growth opportunity. Monahan, too, doubted her promotion to chief revenue officer due to her lack of credentials, but found herself overqualified upon earning the role.
Metz advocates embracing vulnerability. Openly sharing struggles like having young children or being let go, he says, helps foster trust and relatability. He also stresses avoiding a "perfect leader" facade, admitting ignorance to manage expectations and maintain credibility.
Metz has leveraged LinkedIn to connect with his sales team on a personal level. According to Metz, expressing vulnerability and failures creates genuine stories that humanize leaders and resonate with audiences. He supplements LinkedIn with smaller, intimate gatherings like monthly one-on-one rep meetings and team lunches to build meaningful dialogue.
Metz models vulnerability, believing actions like treating his wife well inspire his team more than explicit instructions. "I don't preach it. I live it," he states.
To foster positive teams, Metz focuses on boosting confidence and morale:
Metz publicly acknowledges "small wins," providing positive reinforcement through unexpected praise. "Catching people doing something good" builds confidence, he says.
Metz's company empowers newer reps to mentor others, sharing knowledge to increase self-assurance. "Teaching is as valued as learning," he notes.
Incorporating humor creates a less serious, approachable atmosphere that puts people at ease, according to Metz. He counters the tendency toward excessive seriousness in corporate America.
1-Page Summary
Andrew Metz and Heather Monahan discuss their personal battles with imposter syndrome and the strategies they've used to overcome self-doubt.
Andrew Metz opens up about his own journey with imposter syndrome as he progressed from a business development role to leadership positions. He admits to having feelings of being unworthy but recognizes an internal voice that spurred him to overcome these doubts. Metz acknowledges that imposter syndrome is common when stepping outside one's comfort zone, and he accepts that these challenges, successful or not, are opportunities for personal growth.
Heather Monahan shares her own story of struggling with self-doubt when she was aiming for the executive leap from vice president to chief revenue officer. She doubted her credentials because she didn't have a master's degree, was younger, and had less tenure than her C-suite peers. Faced with these doubts, Monahan pressed forward and earned the promotion. She found the role easier than anticipated, offering more salary, autonomy, and control, leading her to realize that she was not only qualified but overqualified for the position.
Andrew Metz advocates embracing vulnerability and authenticity. He recounts how sharing his personal stories and struggles openly on LinkedIn has helped foster trust ...
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome and Self-Doubt
Andrew Metz emphasizes the power of vulnerability and authentic connection in building strong relationships with team members.
Andrew Metz has leveraged LinkedIn to foster a sense of intimacy and trust with his sales team. He states that not many leaders take the risk of showing vulnerability on LinkedIn. By sharing personal stories about having young children, discussing alcohol use in corporate America, and being let go from an organization, Metz has managed to humanize himself to his audience.
He believes that posting content on LinkedIn, which includes expressing his vulnerability and failures, is therapeutic and meaningful, and it helps to create his own story. This openness makes Metz more genuine and has helped him gain traction with his team. When individuals show up as vulnerable on LinkedIn, their posts often go viral as they resonate with people on a personal level.
Metz talks about the impact of sharing his challenges on LinkedIn. His openness about subjects such as alcohol use in corporate settings and the experience of being let go have helped people see him as a real person. His willingness to share these experiences is, according to Metz, key in building trust with his team.
Beyond social media, Metz values face-to-face interactions with his team. He personally meets one of his 85 reps monthly, which, while difficult to scale, is crucial for maintaining personal connections and staying in tune with what is happening "on the streets."
Metz also mentions hosting lunches, such as one he had with the BDR team. This hour-long session provided a chance for team members to ask questions and learn about his career and strategies. He advocates for smaller group settings such as lunches or dinners, which create opportunities for more meaningful c ...
Building Trust and Intimacy with Teams
Andrew Metz stresses that to foster a positive and high-functioning team, leaders must actively work to boost employee confidence and team morale.
Metz speaks about the importance of catching team members when they're doing something right, not just when they make mistakes. He makes a point to highlight the positive aspects of his team members' performance, often from observations of statistics or recorded demonstrations. Unexpected compliments resulting from these observations tend to significantly boost confidence. Furthermore, Metz underlines the value of recognizing team members' past contributions in presentations, showing that as a leader, he is observant and appreciative of their hard work.
The organization Metz is discussing has implemented a formal mentor-mentee program where even newer team members, with as little as six months of experience, are given the opportunity to mentor newcomers. This is indicative of a belief that sharing knowledge and expertise can significantly increase one’s confidence. Newly hired sales representatives go through an eight-week boot camp training and are guided by more experienced sales reps, helping to create a culture where teaching ...
Boosting Employee/Team Confidence and Morale
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