Feb 11 2025 38 mins
Dr. Laura welcomes Cecile Peterkin to the podcast to talk about imposter syndrome. Cecile is a chief transformation strategist and founder of the Leadership Coaching Centre, with 22 years of expertise as a confidence coach and mentor to her credit. Together, Cecile and Dr. Laura explore where imposter syndrome comes from and why it’s often more prevalent in girls and women. They explore building confidence and learning to assert yourself in situations where your instinct says to keep quiet.
Cecile credits much of her inspiration and success to her late father, and she talks about how the way she was raised enforced her sense of having a voice that should be heard. Imposter syndrome, she says, is more common among women because they are conditioned and nurtured in ways that suggest domesticity and quietude. While this is changing with new generations, there is a lot that women, and anyone, can learn about holding space for themselves and demanding to be heard. Cecile and Dr. Laura explore confidence, how to build it, and why it’s so key to not just career success but to emotional well-being.
“From my experience in a lot of these board meetings, men tend to talk over women because, again, women don't project themselves to be heard. … And I think, too, that some girls are raised not to be loud. … If a man is talking and you want to speak and you have something to say, there's no reason why you [can’t say], could you be quiet for a few minutes so I can be heard? Because to me, you get more respect that way than not saying anything…” Cecile Peterkin
Watch this episode on Dr. Laura’s YouTube channel
About Cecile Peterkin:
Cecile Peterkin is the Founder & Chief Transformation Strategist at the Leadership Coaching Centre. She has over 22 years of expertise as a distinguished confidence coach & mentor, helping 1,000+ professionals & aspiring entrepreneurs to unleash their unique strengths, pivot with purpose & craft legacy careers.
Her approach is deeply inspired by the life lessons from her father. His guiding principles of kindness & respect shaped Cecile’s holistic approach to leadership, where personal well-being & professional achievement converge, empowering others not just to succeed, but to redefine success on their own terms. She balances authority with compassion, cultivating a leadership style as human-centric as it is dynamic. This not only guides her interactions but shapes the empowering & inclusive environments she’s committed to creating.
Cecile’s journey has equipped her with unique insights into resilience & self-belief. She offers practical wisdom & expert guidance to help navigate the complexities of personal & professional challenges to reach limitless potential. Known as a force of nature, she brings a determined, charismatic & energetic leadership style to everything she does, grounded in real-life wisdom & the virtues of grit & perseverance. Media-savvy, she is experienced in speaking on stage & virtually, sharing compelling business insights & life stories with global audiences.
Resources:
Website: LeadershipCoachingCentre.com
Episode 89 | The Great Disconnect: Inability to Listen and Its Impacts on Workplaces
“Emotional GRIT: 8 Steps to Master Your Emotions, Transform Your Thoughts, & Change Your World” by Dr. Neeta F Bhushan
Gen Z @ Work podcast
Learn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live
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