What if the very act of hiding your work to feel "safe" is the single biggest risk to your career?

In this eye-opening episode of The Impodsters Podcast, Johnny has a transformative conversation with Susan M. Barber, a former Fortune 500 IT Director turned executive coach and author. Susan shares the pivotal moment she was given shocking feedback: despite being a top talent, she was seen as sitting in the back of the room, not participating, and failing to add her voice. This wasn't just about missed recognition—it was a wake-up call that by hiding herself, she was also hiding her team and their crucial work from the visibility they deserved.

This conversation is a masterclass in strategic visibility. Susan dismantles the myth that keeping your head down is the safest path, revealing how it actually makes you and your team vulnerable. Instead, she provides a powerful, authentic roadmap for stepping into the spotlight with confidence.

The conversation dives into:

The Six Faces of Imposter Syndrome: Susan's groundbreaking framework that categorizes imposter feelings into distinct types—from the Agreeable Accommodator to the Criticism Avoider—helping you pinpoint exactly how your self-doubt manifests and holds you back.

The RISE Framework for Visibility: Susan's actionable, four-step system (Reflect, Ideate, Select, Evaluate) to intentionally build a visibility plan that aligns with your strengths and values, moving you from hidden to seen.

You're Hiding More Than Yourself: The profound realization that when you play small, you silence your entire team's contributions, potentially putting their value and security at risk in the organization.

Rewriting Your "Base Files": Susan's powerful analogy for the limiting beliefs and old stories we subconsciously "pull from the filing cabinet" and how to replace them with narratives that empower your growth.

Language as Your Leverage: Simple but transformative shifts in how you speak about your work that instantly project competence, ownership, and credibility, moving away from diminishing phrases that keep you overlooked.

This episode is for every leader, high-achiever, and introvert who knows they have more to contribute but fears that self-promotion means sacrificing authenticity. It's a practical guide to making your value known, not for ego, but for impact.

Listen to the full episode to learn how to turn your visibility from a source of anxiety into your greatest professional asset.

Explore Susan's Work: Get her book, The Visibility Factor: https://susanmbarber.com/thevisibilityfactor/ Listen to her podcast, The Visibility Factor Podcast: https://susanmbarber.com/podcastplayer/ Visit her website: https://susanmbarber.com

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