Engineer and Coach Nicole Calhoun on Overcoming Imposter Syndrome and Finding The Courage to Be Uniquely You ENCORE

Nicole is a technology expert and software engineer who is passionate about empowering women and helping them advance in fields where they are underrepresented. As a black woman, she has experienced imposter syndrome and felt pressure to conform to fit in. Her struggles inspired her to help other women. She believes that even confident women can face challenges in leadership, especially when mentored by male mentors with different expectations for women's behavior.

Nicole recognizes that there is a double standard where women are viewed differently when expressing their ideas or disagreement, and advises being conscious of hesitating and second-guessing oneself, and also bringing awareness to the double standard by requesting specific examples of feedback.

She emphasizes the importance of coaching, which addresses the whole person and helps to get to the root of what is holding a person back. Coaching helps in both personal and professional development, especially in career coaching. It is also necessary to give oneself grace and recognize when our behaviors are associated with stress at home. The conversation also touches on institutional and systemic issues in the workplace and how we can influence them. She stresses the importance of being true to oneself and bringing one's unique skills and abilities to the table.

Summit participants can get a complimentary consultation on Coaching or Organizational Training at https://sccalhoun.com/