Meet Timi Gleason

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Timi Gleason. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Timi below.

Hi Timi, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.

Imposter Syndrome

I’m going to be a Young 75 soon! I’ve been very bold and gutsy with my life, so until just recently, I would not have said that I feel like I have suffered from Imposter Syndrome. I was a “fake it ‘til you make it!” type. And even though I succeeded, I have struggled with some feelings of confusion about my success.
We each carry different levels of confidence and self-assurance. Less discussed is the feeling of significance which measures our beliefs around: “what I say will matter”. In my case, I have been willing to say hard things, embarrassing things, and share my opinion. I will take that risk, even though I fear being criticized or ridiculed. I carry an inner duty to weigh-in and try to help because I believe my opinion is significant enough to share.

Most of the time, my hunches work, but to be honest, I’m left with confusion about why they worked. And even more so, I wonder why so many people nod in agreement and line up behind me. I’m not just being tolerated; I’m being followed. Even though these are precious moments, they baffle me. What is going on in the minds of my fans? That, I do not understand.

I have always had aspirations. Even as a child. In kindergarten, I wasn’t interested in being a regular worker when I grew up: I wanted to be “an archangel.” Then, at age 8 (Second Grade for me), I learned about the Industrialists who made America: John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, Cornelius Vanderbilt, JP Morgan and Henry Ford. they came from nothing, and I decided it would be important to think like them because I was coming from nothing, too. There wasn’t much hope for me financially unless I “pulled myself up by the boot straps.” Those guys were my heroes.
In my career, I have faced many fears head on. I’ve always tried to do my very best and to be willing to tackle projects that others didn’t want. My sense of significance spurred me to share my ideas and be ready to deliver. And for that reason, many of my opportunities have largely been created by my willingness to step up. So, you’d think that I knew that I wasn’t an imposter?

IMPOSTER SYNDROME HAS MANY FACES
I’ve made mistakes, of course. However, my batting average for crazy (ideas that have worked) is good! My approach generally opens up the problem to new data and opportunity. Challenges are approached with integrity and forward motion. Usually, people just line up behind me and help. I think most people think I already know I’m at the top of my game.

Since I didn’t know any better when I was in my 20’s and 30’s, I just thought this was the way it worked. It never occurred to me NOT to give problems a shot, even when I was afraid. When you are doing things for the first time, you are likely to feel a little intimidated and afraid.
Not until I got older and had more work experience, and could understand the dynamics of success, did I start to question things. I had accomplished so much! Now, I was scratching my head and wondering HOW I had so magically enchanted everyone?
By choice, I was a calculated risk taker. Just by being “me”, I charmed and fascinated my admirers and fans with ingenuity and boldness. But why did it work? I didn’t understand the effect my ideas, personality and demeanor had on people. I was just doing “me,” and in my mind, “me” was under-educated, coming from a dysfunctional family, and faking her way through life until she learned things. Afterall, my colleagues were MA’s, PhD’s and some had graduated from impressive schools. I had not.
DISCOUNTING MY BLESSINGS
Interestingly, I didn’t give my college the same credit I gave other schools, even though it was well respected. Interestingly, I didn’t put much cred on my early education and academic accomplishments. Interestingly, I didn’t give myself much credit for all the psychological counseling and personal growth work I had committed to and paid for! It was a wonder to me and I was questioning why, when eight out of ten times I entered a room (a breakroom, a small restaurant or a store), people would stop talking and look up to watch me walk across the room. If I was headed into a group gathering, my entrance was a buzz of excitement: I would attract a small crowd?! I’m not a professional speaker, but if I offered to speak publicly on a topic, (which wasn’t often), I would fill a room. I obviously was magnetic, but definitely not intentionally. I wanted to know what others saw; I felt intimidated by the attention. Sometimes complete strangers would ask me if I’m an actress or famous person. That always made no sense to me! I barely wear makeup and I don’t dress in actress clothes. I feel just as socially timid as the next person. What did people see?
INSIGHT APPEARS!
It wasn’t until 2013, that I finally got some insight into my situation and how personal brand really works. A new assessment appeared on the market place and I was invited to BETA test it. It made a huge difference; it provided me with vocabulary to explain my life better. Finally some long-over-due insights appeared!
THE VALUE OF ASSESSMENTS
The best assessments give us insight into our style, temperament and preferences. I use them in my executive coaching business, to add business vocabulary, data, and critical thinking to the challenges my clients are facing. Just like me, they don’t often have words to describe what they do well or what they can exactly contribute to a company or new team. All they know is that what they do works. I use assessments to help candidates who are interviewing for new jobs, or trying to understand the one they have. We explore why the company wants them. We look at what they can do to deliver results in their interview so they can get hired.
Most people lack clarity around the value they bring to their group. They definitely don’t appreciate how important they are to their work teams and their bosses. They are downplaying their roles and their unique value. And they may even “play small” when they could be hitting it out of the park with clarity and intention.
The new assessment that I beta tested ten years ago was the new “How To Fascinate” assessment. It wasn’t a psychological test like many assessments, it was created by an award-winning brand expert and marketing copywriter: Sally Hogshead.
PEOPLE HAVE BRANDS
In 2013, “your brand” was a popular topic. Our society puts emphasis on “creating brand” and in a sense manipulating what people see. Sally Hogshead had been working with products and defining the triggers that cause consumers to buy. She knew that each type of product has a unique market. She knew that the public is “triggered” to buy a product because of what that product provides. And one fateful day, she realized that people also have “triggers.” Depending on who you are, your audience reacts to you for different reasons. We each are seen through the triggers we project. Some of us are a Lexus versus a Honda Accord (both great cars!). Some of us are the Johnny Depp of our group, while others are the crazy Robin Williams energy. I could have never imagined the value of understanding what my brand was until it was revealed. It cleared up all my confusion and years of questions.
WHAT DOES AN ASSESSMENT PROVIDE?
The HowToFascinate (.com) assessment only takes about ten minutes to answer a few dozen questions. Then, a 14-page report is generated and becomes available for immediate download. This report provides key words with examples of your top two Advantages affect others who want your attention. In your report, each Advantage is explained and includes fun examples of famous people who I share your fascinating behaviors! They become examples of how others see you.
SEVEN BRAND-TRIGGERS
Triggers are the advantages that a brand has over another. McDonald’s triggers are different from Disneyland triggers and Ritz Carlton triggers. Those unique triggers when fully appreciated and whole heartedly carried out, attract raving fans who return again and again. Humans each have 2-3 clear triggers that make them “fascinating” to others. Because I didn’t understand that, I was allowing myself to be confused about my attractiveness to my natural fan base. My intention to give others what they wanted was unclear, inconsistent and confused, largely because it was vague to me too. Lack of confidence, misunderstanding about what our employers and friends want from us, coupled with old-fashioned family values and religious upbringing can undermine our efforts to express ourselves with significance in our business and personal lives. For human beings there are seven triggers that cause people to stand out.
The seven are: Passion (you are a magnet for people interactions), Power (influential and productive), Prestige (you do things elegantly and correctly), Mystique (people see you as a poke-faced analyst), Alert (you have a gift for managing details), Trust (you are dependable and deliver consistency that builds trust) and Innovation (you are a fountain of unlimited possibility and ideas). Your top two Advantages are your two unique super powers. Employers hire you for your super powers, even if you don’t know what they are. Sally calls these two top triggers Your Advantages. If you know what advantages you have, then you will understand why people will invest time to marry you, befriend you, hear you perform in concert and hire you. And it will be ONLY YOU. Once they find you, they know its you.
NOW IT MADE SENSE
Prior to taking this assessment, If you asked me what I valued, I would have told you I valued being regarded as competent and with good integrity. And secondarily, I liked making things happen for people. Not surprisingly, my top two Advantages that make me fascinating were: Prestige and Power with a third highest one: Passion. Yes, that made sense to me and I could see it! In my report, the celebrities assigned to my two top advantages were: Princess Diana (the most popular of the royals/Prestige) and James Bond (the powerful and influential secret agent) with my third advantage being Passion (I had more than a dash of Oprah Winfrey’s social skills in me).
Let’s see, did Princess Diana and James Bond draw crowds? Were they both influential and instigators? Oprah definitely was! Would people stop eating or talking to watch them walk across a room? Would buzz start as they entered a meeting?
THE IMPOSTER SYNDROME ISSUE
I was muddled about my value and impact. If you contrast my advantages with the personal story I was clinging to of being “under-educated, oldest child of two troubled parents, pulled herself up by her bootstraps” you could see the disconnect. My self talk was outdated. No wonder I was confused. Many, many comments and pieces of advice suddenly made sense to me.
• “Always comb your hair and come in here dressed appropriately ever again.” (college counselor)
• “Drop the drama and victim complex! You’re not a victim.” (I made a lousy drama queen)
• “Ok to buy a used car but that car doesn’t fit YOU” (good advice)
• “Just tell us what to do; we’ll follow your lead, Timi.” (many groups I belonged to)
• “Excuse me, but are you someone famous?” (Well, maybe?)
• “See all those people, they are ALL here to hear YOU speak today!” (various event coordinators)
• “You are the only one who we think could do this.” (employers)
As we stand in our own humble shoes, we don’t seem to realize that people we meet are not thinking about whether we were treated well as kids, or not. They would never assume we had an insecure financial upbringing, or worry about our education. All they know is they want to know us better! It’s our job to deliver the goods, not muddy it up with self-doubt.
ONCE YOU ARRIVE
Once you have ‘arrived’, the road doesn’t necessarily get easier, and the work isn’t less. BUT, you are “in” the door. You’re “In with the In Crowd” as the old song goes (Dobie Gray/YouTube)!
It wasn’t that I didn’t believe I deserved all the success I had, I definitely had “pulled myself up by my bootstraps.” I just didn’t understand how important my professionalism and focus was to my fans. We need to become solid. We need to realize we are stuck in the past and that we have eager fans and followers that look to us.
FIVE STEPS TO TAKE
1. Stop feeling confused and offering confusing behavior to others. Align with your Advantages and strengths.
2. Study the archetype celebrities that align with your Advantages, or find your own celebrity versions to represent your top two or three role models.
3. Allow yourself to be the person that others see; and own your brand like a real professional.
4. Remain modest and humble. It’s the Universe working THROUGH YOU to move the world forward into better times. No need to come from ego.
5. Use the key words and concepts for your Advantages on your resumes and in your vocabulary with others. Work on your Self Talk. Become the real you.
6. Give yourself a reality check. If you don’t have a college degree or you started with humble beginnings, but you are at the top of your game after 20 years,
realize that for about the last 15 years, those old facts haven’t mattered to anyone, except you.
Decide to see what others see in you and hone your skills. Allow yourself to be fascinating…and more importantly, to be appreciated for who you are BEING for others. Notice, I didn’t say DOING…it’s about BEING the real you. (tool: www.howtofascinate.com)

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Everything I do has to lead to practical solutions for others. I consider myself a Business Humanitarian. My major in college was Child Development. I loved my major because it was eclectic and diverse. After I graduated from college, I went into helping people find jobs. I worked with adults who were challenged to find work, and my child development background came in very handy. I moved from that type of work to training, recruiting in I.T., and ultimately into Executive Coaching and Organizational Development.

I have a side passion for discussing Birthday and Name Numerology. In 2022, I figured out how to create life destiny maps (called Soulwork Maps) that combine numerology with my two favorite business assessments. I’m very artistic, so my maps are drawn and colorful. One of the assessments I use is the HowToFascinate test.

I don’t have an advanced education per se, but with my Bachelors of Science degree, I have become certified in my favorite subjects and am an expert in Strategic Thinking, Systems Thinking, Creativity in Business and Intuition in Business. I also have certifications in Conversational Intelligence, Commercial Design and Strategic Management.

SoulworkMaps,com
ExecutiveGoals.com
Two Recent Books: Becoming Strategic: Leading with Focus and Inspiration / Conversational Intelligence @Work

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I have some advice:
I paid for all of my education that I wanted. I did not wait for others or depend on others for my success. including my employers. I had little help as I was a female in a sexist society. If my employer would not subsidize my interests in Creativity or Strategic Planning, I found the money or went into debt to cover my costs. I was unstoppable and I have ALWAYS made my money back after investing in myself.

I followed my interests and intuition. I studied topics that were missing in the business world like Creativity (Innovation); Intuition in Business; Fact-based Decision Making; and I positioned myself to be able to teach Systems Thinking for IT professionals and to be a “facilitator of meetings” so I could serve whole departments’ needs when they wanted to have meetings off-sight to talk and plan. I created “a demand for my services.”

Later, when I took an interest in Numerology, which is the work of Pythagoras (Greek Philosopher/Mathematician in 500AD), I took the viewpoint of speaking about Numerology in a practical, modern way so it could be used for making decisions and planning. I translated my knowledge into useable skills.

I don’t like to speak on stage but I am a naturally confident speaker in small groups, especially when I have a topic I feel passionate about. I learned by taking a 3 hour class in ‘Charisma’ to be able to command a room. Stand in your shoes and speak up. Do it for your audience. At this stage in my life I can fill a room even if I haven’t been speaking often. People are very curious what I have to say and want to know what I’m thinking about. I cover key points then allow dialogue.

I have a strong sense of life purpose. There are times when I just have to trust that. I try to live by what I believe and walk my talk. When things are slow financially or with jobs, I follow my intuition and give myself a break. Otherwise, I might work all the time. I’m here for a purpose in my mind. I am committed to my purpose. But for me, the quest for ‘life balance’ never stops.

Being old is a state of mind. I live the life of a 55 year old instead of a 75 year old. I have work, meetings, a relationship, and a vibrant life. We each need to take care of our health and our heart. What I mean by taking care of your heart is: follow your heart. Don’t let society, politics, or family stop your from following your dreams. I wanted to be an artist. I had to work (in order to support myself) in business but I never stopped being artistic. I used my artistic ability to create my numerology Soulwork Maps. Over the years, I have surprised my business friends with t-shirts, signs, and business cards. Never give up on your dreams.

We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?

We are each build uniquely with interests, aptitudes, and abilities that make us who we are. Sometimes society and the school system try to beat that out of us by suggesting we have to be like “most people”. In some respects, we have to have a portion of our personalities like “most people” so we can get along, live peacefully, collaborate with neighbors and coworkers and a life partner, but there is a certain percentage of ourselves that we need to develop to be unique. Remember, how I wanted to be a human archangel at age six? I wanted to help people like the Angel Gabriel had helped and soothed Mary (I was raised Catholic). I didn’t expect to be a real angel, but I wanted to do that type of work. In the 1950’s, as a female, you could be mom, a nurse, or a teacher.
FOLLOW YOUR STRENGTHS & ADVANTAGES
I work with two very wonderful assessments to help people define their uniqueness. The first one is Gallup.com: Clifton Strengthsfinder, and the other is the HowToFascinate.com test. I use a third tool that is Numerology. With the numerology I look at your job and life lessons that are indicated in your birth date. Those help me know when I am frustrated at work, or looking for something new to learn, where to start. Here’s an example: My month, day and year I was born add up to 36 points. 12+01+1+9+4+9=36. In Numerology, the numbers reduce to 1-9. The sum of 36 indicates that I have lessons around becoming a humanitarian. (9). Specifically the 3 is about developing my communication skills (writing speaking, conflict resolution, and strategic planning are the areas I have chosen.) The 6 indicates that I need to work in jobs that create “foundations and paths” for others. So, I have jobs as a trainer, a job placement counselor, as a human resources leader, a recruiter, and a coach.

The Gallup assessment helps me be clear about my unique approach. The Fascination test indicates what my brand is when people watch me do my work. My brand (in my case) is one of a leader.

The numerology of my full birth name also indicates humanitarianism and leadership. So that provides a path for my life.

Sometimes, I don’t feel like I am on my path and its frustrating. I think that’s when resolve and focus are needed…and (in my case) PATIENCE!!

When I created my Soulwork Maps, I used theses skills to create a system to help others with the same insights I have. To have a plan is tremendously calming and grounding. I rarely have anxiety or depression issues. I am frequently very motivated and happy and energized about life!

The people on-line who are asking about the best paying jobs and not considering what they are naturally good at or want to do make me very concerned. I might want to be a surgeon because it makes good money, but the life style and skills would work against my temperament and natural abilities. I would not only fail to be a good surgeon, but I would dread the work. I believe following your strengths is very important. Its a matter of health for many.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ExecutiveGoals.com and www.SoulworkMaps.com
• Linkedin: https://linkedIn.com/in/timigleason
• Other: QUORA ANSWERS: https://www.quora.com/profile/Timi-Gleason?q=timi

Image Credits

n/a