Love Your Imposter: Be Your Best Self, Flaws and All

by Rita Clifton

Overview

DISTINGUISHED FAVORITE: Independent Press Awards 2021 - Career
SHORTLISTED: Business Book Awards 2021 - Business Self-Development

Studies show that a massive 70% of people feel like an imposter at some point in their professional life. Brand guru and former Chair of Interbrand, Rita Clifton, shares how she learnt to work with her imposter self rather than hide from it in order to succeed in her career.

Imposter syndrome can cause a constant fear of being found out that you aren't 'good enough' or called out for being a 'fraud'. It impacts people in different ways and can be debilitating and negatively affect relationships, personal life and careers. So what can you do about it?

Love Your Imposter shows you how to take on your imposter self and use it as a driver to come out stronger. Using practical down-to-earth advice based on her experiences, Rita Clifton, tackles the myth that you need to 'fake it until you make it', highlights why authenticity can be your biggest weapon and skilfully makes the case for business being more humane.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781789667004
Publisher:	Kogan Page, Ltd.
Publication date:	09/29/2020
Pages:	296
Product dimensions:	5.12(w) x 7.83(h) x 0.87(d)

About the Author

Rita Clifton CBE is the former Vice Chair and Strategy Director at Saatchi & Saatchi, was London CEO and then Chair at the global brand consultancy, Interbrand, for 15 years. In 2013 she co-founded the business and brand consultancy, BrandCap, with offices in New York, Hong Kong and London, and now has a portfolio of board roles. She is a regular commentator across all media, including CNN and BBC. She is a Fellow and former Board Trustee of the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) and a member of the UK Government's Sustainable Development Commission, as well being a Visiting Fellow at Saïd Business School, Universityof Oxford.

Table of Contents

** Chapter - 00: Introduction; ** Chapter - 01: Clueless – On my own imposter backstory; ** Chapter - 02: Groundwork – On early lessons in working life, including a bit of personal branding; ** Chapter - 03: Hairy moments and happier outcomes – On the strangely positive power of mortification; ** Chapter - 04: Magic numbers and difficult statistics – On why no numbers = no boardroom; ** Chapter - 05: Money talks – On learning the language called Finance; ** Chapter - 06: Why you don’t have to fake it to make it – On how to be your (best) self… most of the time; ** Chapter - 07: Voices off – On how anyone can learn to be a good communicator. Honestly; ** Chapter - 08: Extending skills and expanding life – On how to add some good strings to your professional life – and an honest take on personal stuff; ** Chapter - 09: Women rule OK – On how to ‘do leading’ in a way that suits you… and helps others; ** Chapter - 10: Nice guys don’t finish last – On why the business and wider world really needs niceness to work; ** Chapter - 11: You and the future of business – On why the business world really needs… YOU. All of you, flaws and all; ** Chapter - 12: Epilogue – Back to real life…

Editorial Reviews

"Rita Clifton, as anyone who has ever heard her speak knows, is warm, witty, wise and wonderfully inspiring, and her new book is all of those things too. Reading this book makes you feel like you are in the room with her, with Rita as your own personal mentor as you navigate your life and career. Her advice to people going to speak in public at a gathering of any size is 'Show up as a human' and nowhere is Rita more human than in this book."

Professor Heather McGregor

"Rita Clifton has always been a great champion for helping people be their best selves, professionally and personally, and this book helps that cause in a fabulously human way. She is funny, insightful, practical and inspiring"

Nicola Mendelsohn CBE

"A warm, wise and wonderful leadership manual, full of fun and humanity."

Dame Cilla Snowball CBE

"Imposter syndrome is something that so many of us feel, and Rita brings her warm, funny and wise commentary to unpacking the issue and reminding us that we can overcome it, and that we are all human."

Hillary Rodham Clinton

"Finally - someone tackling the imposter syndrome head-on! Enough talking about the fact we have it - at last a book that actually deals with it! If I could have her beside me throughout my own business journey I would. Relatable, funny, down to earth and a woman who's been there, done it and knows what she is talking about. A must-read for every woman across the country."

Holly Tucker MBE

"Do you have a voice in your head telling you you're not good enough? Yes? Join the Imposter Syndrome Club! Women's inequality in the workplace is costing the economy trillions of pounds a year. Much could be solved by replacing that voice with the voice of Rita Clifton instead. This jargon busting, business icon and brand guru will get inside your brain and give you the tools you need to get to the top and most importantly know you deserve to be there."

CEO & Co-founder Decoded Kathryn Parsons MBE

British advertising professional Clifton (Brands and Branding) offers erudite advice on leadership and personal branding in this sincere, helpful work. The death of Clifton’s father when she was 12 years old made her keep her “emotions buttoned up,” which she now views as the roots of the imposter syndrome she would later develop. In explaining how she overcame this, she debunks the “fake it until you make it” myth, instead suggesting one become properly tooled in personal branding, finance, and communication. She recommends focusing on being reliable, exploring “what interests you and what drains you,” avoiding sulking, and finding a fitting industry to work in (but never agonizing about the “perfect job” because “it can all be very arbitrary, at least to begin with”). In a conversational tone, Clifton explains how she has consistently met obstacles and criticism head-on by being willing to live in a state of self-awareness and self-improvement. While mostly concentrating on her own career as an example, she also provides sidebar boxes that prompt the reader with activities and questions. Those wishing to improve their professional marketability will find much insight in this eye-opening testimonial. (Sept.)

Publisher's Weekly

From the Publisher

05/18/2020

British advertising professional Clifton (Brands and Branding) offers erudite advice on leadership and personal branding in this sincere, helpful work. The death of Clifton’s father when she was 12 years old made her keep her “emotions buttoned up,” which she now views as the roots of the imposter syndrome she would later develop. In explaining how she overcame this, she debunks the “fake it until you make it” myth, instead suggesting one become properly tooled in personal branding, finance, and communication. She recommends focusing on being reliable, exploring “what interests you and what drains you,” avoiding sulking, and finding a fitting industry to work in (but never agonizing about the “perfect job” because “it can all be very arbitrary, at least to begin with”). In a conversational tone, Clifton explains how she has consistently met obstacles and criticism head-on by being willing to live in a state of self-awareness and self-improvement. While mostly concentrating on her own career as an example, she also provides sidebar boxes that prompt the reader with activities and questions. Those wishing to improve their professional marketability will find much insight in this eye-opening testimonial. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"Most people have felt like an imposter at some point in their career but it takes a modern 21st century leader like Rita Clifton to put it into a book and have you embrace this emotion of vulnerability."

Founder of MOBO Awards Kanya King CBE

"Love Your Imposter is a brilliant book and it couldn't have come a better time. We are seeing a human revolution where professional and personal boundaries are blurred especially for women. This book gives us inspirational yet practical tips on how to navigate this new world. Rita Clifton writes with refreshing honesty about her career and beginnings and explores concepts such as strength in vulnerability, communication and ways we can all be more empathic to ourselves. I loved it!"

The Empathy Business Belinda Parmar OBE