Welcome back to the Look and Sound of Leadership, an ongoing series of executive

coaching tips designed to help you be perceived in the workplace the way you want

to be perceived. I'm Tom Henschel, your executive coach, and today we're talking

about the executive imposter. Anna knew her pattern, but she couldn't stop it.

Anna was a young executive of amazing achievements.

She had created a brand within a multi-million dollar company. She had just thought it up.

Along the way, between conception and execution at every possible roadblock, people said yes to her.

When she'd first mention the idea to her boss, Nicole, she was told yes.

When Nicole put her in front of the head of the division, she was told yes.

When they took her to the company president, she was told yes, and a brand was born because

of Anna.

Towards the beginning of our coaching as we were still getting to know each other, I asked her to tell me the story.

She did, with much modesty. At every turn she told me how she had been lucky or how the only reason she had

succeeded was because the bar had been lowered for her. But objectively the

accomplishment of the story could not be denied.

It was just plain triumphant.

I said, Anna, you're a unicorn.

This never happens.

Good for you.

I saw her waiver. She seemed to be having a dozen thoughts all at once.

I waited. She whispered, I'm struggling here. I'm trying to just take your

damn compliment. I watched. I know I did good Tom, did well. But when

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