Overcome Feeling Like an Imposter on ClubHouse
Learn how to speak up when it’s the last thing you feel like doing
I second guess myself before hitting that hand-raising button ✋. I initially thought it was the fear of public speaking. As I dug deeper and self-reflected, I uncovered the real reasons behind my self-doubt.
If you are finding your confidence to speak, I hope you will consider one of these after reading this article:
- Raise your hand when you have something to say (even if it is for the first time)
- Say yes to the moderators’ invitations to speak
- Start a room or club
Avoid compare and despair
The more speakers’ profiles I read, the less likely I would want to speak. Compared to those working at established companies with years of experience, I question whether my contributions would add any value.
I shook off my self-doubt by asking what makes my experience unique and relatable?
- I’m a product manager working in a small company (most people don’t work at FAANG)
- Everyone in our team wears multiple hats (vs. dedicated resources for specific tasks)
- What creative approaches I used to solve problems with the limited resources we have
Hearing what and why something didn’t work is just as powerful as the success stories. Sharing the ups and downs make you more relatable, as we all know few things in a straight path. Looking back “what advice would I give to my older self, given the mistakes I’ve made and everything I know now?” helps bring your unique insights to the table.
Fear of asking “dumb” questions
The beauty of ClubHouse is you will get to converse with people whom you deeply respect. You are dying to ask them questions that have long been on your minds. You believe they will have great advice for your predicaments.
To push myself to press that “hand-raising” button, I run through all the worst-case scenarios. Challenge myself to think of the probability of each happening and how I will react.
- The speaker is confused by my questions (which they will ask follow up questions)
- The speakers can’t believe I don’t know the answers to basic questions (which I will never find out — because they won’t want to be rude)
I conclude that the cost of losing out on a learning opportunity is greater than looking stupid. There have been times when they didn’t get to my question because I waited for too long. I regretted those moments.
Careful of seeking validation
Are people clapping (signal by people turning on and off their mic)? Did my comment spark more discussions? Did anyone respond with “that is a good question”? I would judge myself negatively if it is followed by dead silence. That exacerbates the fear of speaking up again.
Don’t over-analyze the situation. I rationalized why it didn’t turn out the way I expected by putting myself in the crowd’s shoes.
- They can’t relate to the experience and have not attempted to solve the problem you encountered.
- Most of the crowd is new to Clubhouse and is not comfortable with speaking up. Just like me.
I subconsciously search for the same acknowledgment in virtual and in-person presentations. Are people nodding their heads? Do they look distracted or bored?
To focus on my delivery, I look away from the screen and imagine a supportive audience in my head. The good thing about Clubhouse is that you can’t see their reactions. So you get to choose what you want to believe in.
“Dance like nobody is watching. Love like you’ve never been hurt. S̶i̶n̶g̶ Speak like no one is listening.” — modified from Mark Twain
Build up your confidence
- Start by speaking in small rooms. So you become comfortable with the ClubHouse etiquettes — from not dreading the seemingly long silence after you ask a question to expressing your appreciation to those who offered advice.
- Sit in rooms hosted on regular biases. Do the moderators consistently foster a nurturing environment? Do they remind you of talking to close friends? Some rooms have a rapid-fire style, where the moderators allow speakers to jump in anytime. If you dip your toe into those rooms, you may get cut off and be scared to speak up again.
- Support new rooms and clubs. Moderators fear sitting in an empty room where they have to keep coming up with things to say. If they asked for the audience’s participation, just saying hi, sharing your background and what attracts you to their rooms will help generate new conversations.
Summary
I still struggle at times — but I don’t let my inner negative voice take control over the voice I want to share. If you feel strongly about a topic and believe someone out there can benefit from your experience, don’t hold back. Pat yourself on the back every time you choose to speak and step outside of your comfort zone. Don’t let self-doubt get in the way of making good connections in ClubHouse.
Related articles
How ClubHouse Helped Me Give Answers Effectively As a Product Leader
Benefits of the (Self-) Doubt: How It Can Accelerate Your Career
