#512 - OVERCOMING IMPOSTER SYNDROME IN ARCHITECTURE
SUMMARY
This week, David and Marina of FAME Architecture & Design answer questions from listeners. The two discuss dealing with imposter syndrome, architecture office hiring logic and unions, being proactive in an office, confidence, design idea contribution, and more. Enjoy!
TIMESTAMPS
(00:00) Dealing with Imposter Syndrome.
(11:58) Architecture office hiring logic.
“Something employees should know is that you're not hired just for your experience. You're hired for who you are as a person, how you'll fit within the team, and what you'll bring to the office, beyond what software you know or what projects you've worked on. If you have the right personality, the right mindset, and you're the right fit for the team, the specific project you're assigned to doesn't really matter. You'll figure it out. I think that should also help alleviate imposter syndrome. You're going to learn those things. You'll be surrounded by people who've been working on these projects for years, and they're going to show you the ropes and teach you how to approach the work.” (14:13)
(18:55) Architecture office union.
(21:53) Ask questions.
“To some degree, everyone has to fake it until they make it. That's just part of the process. But if you let that mindset stop you from asking questions, then it becomes a problem. People are often afraid that asking a question will make them look dumb. In reality, not asking questions is what raises concerns. If someone never asks questions, either they know everything already, which is unlikely, or they don't know and aren't asking. That's a major red flag to people who've been through it before. There's no way you don't have questions.” (22:04)
“As an architect, you'll always experience some level of imposter syndrome because you're always learning. One of the best ways to overcome that feeling is by asking questions. If you feel like an imposter, the solution is to learn the things you don't know, and the only way to do that is by asking. If you don't feel comfortable asking people your own age because you're worried they'll think you should already know the answer, go ask the more experienced people in the office. They were all young once. They all started with the same feelings and the same lack of knowledge, and they know that experience is something you have to build over time.” (27:26)
(32:04) Be proactive in an office.
(37:08) Pay is relative.
(40:50) Does imposter syndrome go away?
“In the long run, an individual's success, productivity, and positive impact on the office and the profession come down to how they operate. It's not really about what you know at any single point in time. It's about how you approach gaining that knowledge. The gym analogy is a good one. The more consistent you are, the more progress you'll make. Over six months, a year, or several years, consistency will outperform almost everything else. If your approach to practicing architecture is to be curious, work hard, and keep improving, that's what really matters.” (42:17)
“I don't have imposter syndrome because I don't care about comparing myself to everyone else in the room. I've seen what other people have done. Sometimes they've accomplished amazing things, but it doesn't matter. The only thing I can control is my own ability, my own potential, and doing the best work I can. If I know I'm doing well, I have no reason to doubt myself. I handle a lot of business development and marketing for our office. The more you practice those social interactions, the more confident you become. That's really where imposter syndrome comes from. It's often about confidence in your interactions, not your actual skill set. If there's something I don't know, that's fine. I'll learn it. I don't feel like an imposter for not knowing something I haven't learned yet. As long as I'm honest about what I know and don't know, and I'm doing the things I can control well, I have no reason to feel like an imposter.” (46:45)
(51:55) Being confident.
“Potential is a key part of overcoming imposter syndrome. I don't think confidence should come from what you've done in the past or what you know today. It should come from believing in what you're capable of doing. I may have never designed this exact building type or this particular house before, but I'm confident we'll do a good job. I'm confident we'll work as hard as we possibly can to produce the best outcome. That's where real confidence comes from: trusting your ability to figure things out, not relying only on past experience.” (53:08)
(56:10) Design idea contribution.
