She couldn’t speak. She could only cry.
She was standing in front of me after my keynote at DynamicsCon, the annual conference for some of the most technically sharp, analytically rigorous professionals
Category: Leadership Thoughts
The Hidden Cost of Your Best People Playing Small
There’s a moment I’ve never forgotten. It was 1993. I was the Facility Manager of the NASA Lewis Propulsion Systems Laboratory, and the agency was
Introducing The Propulsion Principle™
For a long time, my work centered on impostor syndrome: that familiar experience of high achievers who feel, despite all evidence, like frauds. I understand
It’s WORSE than Impostor Syndrome.
Impostor syndrome is a hot topic. As a keynote speaker on this topic, I’m very glad. It’s not only my revenue source, but the topic
Pressure Ratio: Your Brain on Impostor Syndrome
Maybe impostor syndrome is more than a thinking problem. For years, most of the conversation around impostor syndrome has focused on thoughts. And that makes
Move with Mastery
Move with Mastery People who struggle with impostor syndrome aren’t underqualified.They’re under-convinced. They have the skills, the experience, the track record.But something inside them hesitates.
The Empty Seats that Mattered
✈️ The Empty Seats That Mattered By Maureen ZappalaSpeaker, Author, and Former NASA Engineer When “small” moments become your biggest impact On October 27, 2025,
The Day I Shut Down NASA
The Day I Shut Down NASA This is not a newsflash: Success and failure are touchy subjects for people with self-doubt. This IS a newsflash:
Impostor Syndrome and the Iceberg Effect
What’s really going on with your top performers? Your best people might look like they are doing their best work.And they probably are. But here
Mindset Misfires of Impostor Syndrome
How your team’s brilliance and their self-doubt are two sides of the same coin. Do you favor the process or the product? I love
Be Like Mel
Be Like Mel: The Leader Mind-Reader Because what you see isn’t always what your team is thinking In the movie What Women Want, Mel Gibson’s
Confidence, Courage and Impostor Syndrome
What I Learned From Not Being The Smartest Female in Engineering! Do you know the difference between confidence and courage? I didn’t—not at first. While