In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about menopause. For some women, the phases of menopause follow a reasonably predictable course. For others, however, it might start earlier than expected or lead to unexplained symptoms that can have you asking, “What’s wrong with me?” My guest this week, Susan Miele, a menopause educator and former chief people officer, shares how early perimenopause interrupted her once-thriving career. Without an understanding of what was happening to her, she began self-medicating and eventually left her job to focus on her health. Here we discuss the importance of menopause awareness in the workplace so that women can get the support and care they need to stay in their roles and continue to grow their careers. We also talk about ways in which organizations can have these conversations and normalize this experience.

About My Guest
Dr. Susan Miele is a transformational leader and workplace well-being advocate dedicated to redefining the narrative around menopause. Susan frequently speaks and writes about workforce inclusivity, gender equality, and the retention of senior women, challenging organizations to see menopause as a key factor in creating supportive, inclusive workplaces.

A former Chief People Officer at Ginkgo Bioworks, Susan led efforts to make biology easier to engineer. At Foundation Medicine Inc., she built a People Team that helped drive the company’s rapid global growth and earned it multiple Best Places to Work awards. Her career spans senior leadership roles across biotech, publishing, finance, and more.

Susan holds a PhD in Human and Organizational Systems and brings a mindset of continuous learning to her work. A dedicated yogi, she infuses her leadership with mindfulness and compassion. Susan is active on several boards, with a special focus on organizations that bring resilience and well-being to marginalized communities in her hometown of Portland, Maine.

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Connect with Susan:
Websites:
https://menopause.org/
https://www.susanmiele.com/
https://www.letstalkmenopause.org/

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Other Resources:
The Menopause Society: https://menopause.org/

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Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:

Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:
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In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about how to name, tame and reframe impostor syndrome. Does impostor syndrome keep you from asking for help, sharing your ideas or taking risks? If so, you’re not alone. Each of us has warring factions in our brains. There’s the intellectual side that knows that we’ll be okay if we step outside our comfort zones and then there’s the emotional side that lives in constant fear of something terrible happening. This week, I talk with John Little, an executive performance coach, about how to bridge the gap between these two sides. Here John shares strategies and insights to help us manage impostor syndrome. In particular, he emphasizes how important it is for us to not fear the moment because when we fear a certain moment, we lose out on bigger growth opportunities. Lastly, we talk about how impostor syndrome impacts, not just individuals, but organizations, and why we should be addressing this as a business issue.

About My Guest
John Little is an Executive Leadership Performance Coach with over 25 years of experience leading people and businesses across multiple industries. He specializes in helping CHROs, VPs of HR, and senior leaders support executives and high-potential individuals in excelling in their current roles, preparing for future leadership positions, and reducing costly turnover.

John’s coaching focuses on building trust, influence, and authority using his proprietary EMBRACE framework, empowering leaders to create meaningful impact and seize new opportunities. His clients often experience career growth 2-3x faster, improved team collaboration, and measurable improvements in employee engagement, retention, and leadership effectiveness.

Known for aligning leadership development with business goals, John equips his clients with mindset strategies and actionable tools that drive both personal and organizational transformation. Whether through one-on-one coaching, cohort-based learning, or organizational training, his approach is tailored to meet each client's unique needs.

At the heart of John’s work is his passion for helping people overcome limiting beliefs and imposter syndrome to become authentic, confident leaders in their families, careers, and communities.

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Connect with John:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bigjohnlittle
Assessment: https://impostersyndromedetector.scoreapp.com

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Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:

Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:
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Connect on LinkedIn:
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Website:
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In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about creativity. What’s your definition of creativity? And do you see yourself as creative? I struggled with seeing myself this way for many years because I’m not artistic. Expanding my definition of creativity helped me to see that I’m far more creative than I thought. You probably are too! This week, I’m talking with Dr. Amy Climer, a creativity and innovation consultant, about driving greater creativity and innovation among teams. Here she shares the three key elements needed for teams to be creative together: team purpose, strong team dynamics and a team creative process. We also talk about the ways in which our current structures set us up for failure by emphasizing the idea that there’s one right way to do things and by focusing on short-term, transactional results rather than long-term innovative solutions. And, lastly, we talk about the ways in which impostor syndrome and fear keep us from being creative and how creative teams can support one another.

About My Guest
Dr. Amy Climer is a thought leader in innovation, team development, and experiential learning. She teaches research-based practices, tools, and techniques to forward-thinking organizations such as the Mayo Clinic, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, FOX Sports, and the University of Wisconsin. Amy holds a Ph.D. in Leadership and Change from Antioch University. She is the author of Deliberate Creative Teams: How to Lead for Innovative Results, a book for leaders who want their teams to be more creative, but don’t know where to start. Dr. Amy’s research led to the Deliberate Creative Team Scale, designed to measure the three critical dimensions of team creativity. Her TEDx talk The Power of Deliberate Creative Teams explains her research and philosophies on innovation. Dr. Amy is the host of The Deliberate Creative™ Podcast. She is the designer of Climer Cards, a creativity and teambuilding tool used by thousands to deepen conversations and generate ideas. In 2016 she won the Karl Rhonke Creativity Award from the Association for Experiential Education. Amy lives in Asheville, North Carolina in the U.S.

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Connect with Amy:
Websites:
https://www.climerconsulting.com
https://climercards.com/
Book: https://deliberatecreativeteams.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyclimer/

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Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:

Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:
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Website:
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In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about gravitas. Gravitas is one of those words we use but rarely define. We know it when we see it but it’s tough to pin down. This week, I’m talking with Richard Reid, a psychologist and coach, about the connection between gravitas and confidence. We sometimes think of gravitas as an innate trait when, in actuality, you can develop it. Here we talk about what gravitas looks like, why it matters and how to get there.

About My Guest
Richard has over twenty years of experience as a psychologist and coach. Originally trained as a trauma therapist, he has been involved in several high-profile cases for the City of London Police, London Underground and the Witness Protection Program. Alongside this work, he is an author, media spokesperson, coach and consultant, working with individuals and organisations to help them achieve their full potential.

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Connect with Richard:
Website: https://www.richard-reid.com

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Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:

Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:
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Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6

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Connect on LinkedIn:
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Website:
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In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about being BOLD (believe, own, learn and design). Many of us stay trapped in the wrong situation for too long because we’re afraid to take risks or make changes. But living our best lives requires that we choose ourselves and take bold action. This week, I’m talking with Leigh Burgess, founder of Bold Industries Group and author of Be BOLD Today. Here she shares the story of how severe burnout led her to leave a successful career in healthcare and start her own business. Leigh and I talk about her BOLD framework and how to use it to regain control of your own life. She also emphasizes that you can be bold incrementally and at a pace that works best for you.

About My Guest
Leigh Burgess is an entrepreneur, visionary leader, and the unstoppable force behind Bold Industries Group, Inc. (BIG). As the CEO and Founder, Leigh has transformed a passion for business consulting, coaching, and creating life-changing experiences into a multi-seven-figure enterprise in just four years.

Her debut book, Be BOLD Today: Unleash Your Potential, Master Your Mindset, and Achieve Success (Simon & Schuster, 11/ 2024) explores The BOLD Framework that Leigh created and the four actionable and relatable steps to embrace your true self and design a life of purpose and passion. Leigh shares from personal experience how she made her dream a reality through B.O.L.D. (Believe, Own, Learn, Design), and it is the roadmap for living your own #bold life. After more than 20 years leading in the corporate world, Leigh hit a wall. Burnout came knocking, and suddenly, the success she’d been chasing felt empty. She was out of sync—emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually. But instead of sticking it out, Leigh did something most wouldn’t dare to do, she left her job, choosing herself and her well-being.

This decision led to Leigh becoming the bootstrapped founder and CEO of BIG in 2020. Leigh wanted to create a space where organizations and individuals can make bold moves, be curious and take life to the next level. She co-founded the company with her daughter, her biggest inspiration and partner-in-business. Leigh’s mission? To make sure no one ever has to go through the burnout she did, that they learn how to break free of self-doubt and to leave a legacy that her daughter can be proud of.

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Connect with Leigh:
Website: https://leighburgess.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leighburgess23/

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Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:

Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:
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Connect on LinkedIn:
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Website:
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In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about behavior-based leadership. Do you feel clear about what your boss or company expects of you? Much of our self-doubt comes from worrying about whether we’re doing it right. And the absence of clear leadership and guidance simply perpetuates that anxiety. My guest this week is Dr. Chris Fuzie, a former police officer who started college at the age of 40 studying organizational leadership and now has a Doctor of Education (Ed. D). Chris now owns his own leadership consulting business where he leverages a lot of his experience as a law enforcement officer. Here we talk about the importance of clearly defining the roles of both leader and follower through behaviors that reduce ambiguity and build trust.

About My Guest
Dr. Chris Fuzie is the owner of CMF Leadership Consulting and is currently the Business/HR Manager for a District Attorney’s office in California. Chris is a Leaderologist II and Vice President of the National Leaderology Association (NLA) who holds a Doctor of Education (Ed. D), M.A. and B.A. in Organizational Leadership, and has graduate certificates in Human Resources and Criminal Justice Education. Chris is a developer, trainer, consultant for leadership of public, private, profit, and non-profit organizations since 2010. Chris is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and a former National Instructor for the International Association of Chiefs of Police and California P.O.S.T. Courses. Chris is the author of "Because Why... Understanding Behavior in Exigencies." and of "S.C.O.R.E. Performance Counseling: Save the Relationship, Change the Behavior," and his latest book, “Liminal Space: Reshaping Leadership and Followership.” Chris is honorably retired from the Modesto Police Department after 28 years of public service leading such teams as the Homicide Team, the Hostage Negotiations Team, the Street-Level Drug Team and the School Police Officer Team.

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Connect with Chris:
Websites:
https://www.cmfleadership.com/
https://www.scoreperformancecounseling.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-chris-fuzie-ed-d-m-a-ol-vl2-37587934/
X: https://x.com/CMFLeadership

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Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:

Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:
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Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group:
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Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6

Join the Facebook group:
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Connect on LinkedIn:
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Website:
https://kimmeninger.com

In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about unhappy achievers. We talk far more often about impostor syndrome than we do unhappy achievers yet both are rooted in an unhealthy relationship with achievement. This week, I’m talking with Josh Dodes, a psychotherapist who coined the term “unhappy achievers” to describe professionals who feel unsatisfied, or even empty, despite their high levels of success. Here we talk about the similarities and differences between unhappy achievers and those who struggle with impostor syndrome. We also talk about what we can do as parents to minimize the threat of unhealthy attachments to achievement. And we explore how to know when it’s time to seek help.

About My Guest
Josh Dodes is a psychotherapist in private practice in the Philadelphia area. He studied psychology at Yale, received his master’s degree from NYU, and trained at the Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Study Center in New York. He coined the term "Unhappy Achievers" in 2017 and was asked to write a blog on the topic for Psychology Today-- a blog which has now connected with more than 150,000 readers. Josh is also a former professional musician who toured internationally with his own band (the Josh Dodes Band, which starred on VH1’s Emmy-nominated Bands on the Run) and as a band member for dozens of other artists. This experience before becoming a psychotherapist led him to be particularly familiar with the emotional struggles of high-achieving performers.

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Connect with Josh:
Website: www.unhappyachievers.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/joshdodes
Fast Company article: https://www.fastcompany.com/91228056/why-some-of-the-highest-achievers-are-painfully-unhappy-according-to-a-yale-trained-psychotherapist
Psychology Today blog: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/unhappy-achievers

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Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:

Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:
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Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group:
https://www.kimmeninger.com/leadinghumansgroup

Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6

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Schedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session

Connect on LinkedIn:
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Website:
https://kimmeninger.com

In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about confidently leading change. Are you responsible for leading change? Maybe your role requires a lot of influence without authority. Or you’re a leader who has to drive change with your team. If so, you know how challenging it can be to get people on board. This week, I talk with Sarena Diamond, a transformation executive, about how to manage the human side of change. Here she shares a 3-step process for approaching change in the face of resistance, which is almost always rooted in fear. We also talk about what to do when you’re leading change and you doubt yourself.

About My Guest
Sarena Diamond is a multi-dimensional transformation executive with hands-on expertise in Organizational Change Management, Program & Project Management, Communications, Facilitation, and Training. Throughout her career at Accenture, IBM, Pepsi Cola, Hyperion and Mellon Investor Services, she worked with globally and culturally diverse teams, leaders and stakeholders to deliver transformative outcomes. Her client base spans from Fortune 100 enterprises to PE-backed ventures across a wide array of industries and she has worked with countless leaders struggling to find confidence and comfort in their roles.
Sarena is a quick study of people, situations and organizational needs. She faces challenges with curiosity and confidence, brings positivity to seemingly insurmountable problems and is purpose-driven to help teams navigate change effectively. Sarena established Diamond Solutions Group with the goal of partnering with leaders to maximize their investment of time and resources in transformation, while inspiring their teams to achieve great outcomes. Along the way, those same leaders build their own skills, capabilities and confidence such that their inner voice supports achieving greatness and squelches Imposter Syndrome tendencies.

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Connect with Sarena:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarena-diamond/
Website: https://www.diamondsolutionsgroupllc.com/

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Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:

Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:
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Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group:
https://www.kimmeninger.com/leadinghumansgroup

Join the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6

Join the Facebook group:
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Schedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-session

Connect on LinkedIn:
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Website:
https://kimmeninger.com