Vous êtes aux prises avec le syndrome de l’imposteur dans les SIG. Comment pouvez-vous renforcer votre confiance et votre expertise ?

When I first started my journey becoming a geospatial data analyst I was treated horribly by a leader in the field. What I thought was friction between two people became a story whispered from this person to other people. It stuck with me until I became integrated in the space and learned that other people felt this individual was problematic as well. That’s the funny lesson. We might attribute friction to us being new in the space, or not being the brightest bulb in the room, but often it has nothing to do with us at all. A good friend summed it up really well. He encouraged me not to take it personally saying some people are transactional. Meaning if they’re not gonna get something from you, they certainly aren’t gonna give anything.

Dealing with imposter syndrome in GIS can be challenging. A turning point for many professionals is seeking feedback. For instance, when I experience imposter syndrome about my work, I never shy away from seeking help. once you decide to ask a mentor for feedback. The mentor’s constructive critique not only improves the quality of your work but also reinforces your confidence by highlighting your strengths. This approach turns uncertainty into growth, demonstrating how valuable feedback can be in building confidence and expertise.

To boost your confidence in GIS, you need to undertake as many projects as possible (be it at work, university or school). This is because GIS is a skill that can only be learnt and developed through immersion in real-time projects, rather than reading guidebooks or following online tutorials alone (which, while are helpful as supplementary aids, are not standalone tools). Find yourself a "GIS mentor", someone you can approach for help when you get stuck on tricky problems or projects. Finally, learn to code in python, as this will help a lot as you embark on more complex GIS projects. Good luck, and remember, embrace the failures and mistakes you make along the way, as this is all part of the process :)

You need to unlearn the traditional dogma on growth mindset. You should know your niche and your wild cards. Dare to be different and stand out, but walk the talk, more importantly, be honest to yourself. Avoid the trap of "faking til you make it", because that is the biggest cause of the imposter syndrome. It's OK not to know everything in GIS, tell like it is because no one can do everything, but you can learn anything. When you fake it, you are setting yourself up for the imposter syndrome.

Ask for Peer Reviews: Get your work reviewed by colleagues or mentors. Constructive feedback will help you improve and realize your strengths. Join GIS Forums and Communities: Engage in discussions on platforms like Stack Exchange, GIS Stack Exchange, or LinkedIn groups. Asking questions and sharing your knowledge can build your confidence.

Na minha trajetória percebi que há pouca padronização de como projetos em GIS são desenvolvidos e entregues. Buscar feedbacks constante do cliente e de outros profissionais poderá agregar valor e assertividade nos projetos.

Ask your colleagues, mentors, or supervisors for their honest opinions on your work. Constructive criticism can help you identify areas for improvement and develop strategies to overcome challenges. Don't be afraid to ask specific questions or seek guidance on areas where you feel unsure. Remember, everyone has room for growth, and seeking feedback is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Constructive feedback is crucial for growth. Seek input from colleagues or mentors on your work to identify improvements and recognize your strengths.

Over the years, I’ve learned the importance of seeking feedback from peers and mentors. During my internships and collaborations, I always made it a point to ask for feedback on my work. Not only did this improve my technical skills, but it also allowed me to gain confidence in my abilities. As a leader, I emphasize the value of feedback within my organization—fostering a culture where we learn from each other and use constructive criticism as a tool for growth.

Choose 1-2 topics where you feel confident and start sharing your knowledge. Choose a channel based on what content you like to create (usually the same you like to consume, but you know yourself the best). For short content choose social media - LinkedIn and/or Twitter. For a long-form content choose a blog/Medium/newsletter for written content and YouTube for video content. You can offer speaking at webinars, events or meetings. Re-purpose your content for a talk and spread the word further. While sharing your knowledge, you'll also get to know other creators and learn from them, so it's a win-win situation.

This point and the previous point are very much related, seeking feedback and sharing knowledge, and luckily the Geospatial Data community is very open, there are many groups on many platforms, and as the field is always moving, everyone is very eager to learn new ways of doing things and happy to share resources; at least in my experience. I think that, in this field, it should be relatively easy to shake an imposter syndrome, especially when you are open and showing interest to learn; there are no stupid questions, only stupid responses.

eaching others or contributing to online communities can reinforce your understanding of GIS concepts and gain recognition for your expertise. Consider starting a blog, writing articles, or presenting at local meetups. Sharing your knowledge not only helps others but also boosts your confidence and validates your skills.

Try asking a friend or colleague if they would like to learn some new GIS tools. A fulfilling part of my job is getting to mentor summer interns that are interested in GIS. Firstly, this gives me the opportunity to revisit the fundamentals, which gives perspective on how much I've achieved without realizing it. Conversely, one of the toughest parts about mentoring is remaining grounded and remembering how I learned GIS. Secondly, mentoring gives me a yearly chance to distill all the best practices I've absorbed in my career. And the thought required to communicate them efficiently has a certain way of making them stick. As a final note, creating shared dialogues with the Socratic Method avoids the "passive recipient of knowledge" trope.

"In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn." – Phil Collins Knowledge sharing is the key and it will enable you with another perspective too if the recipient is as curious to attain the knowledge as you.

To build your confidence and experience, take on challenging projects that push you outside of your comfort zone. As you successfully complete these projects, you'll develop a sense of accomplishment and realize your capabilities. Don't be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone and try new things. Failure is a natural part of the learning process, and it's often through challenges that we discover our true potential.

Nothing is better than starting fresh, forget the tech debt, forget the ever-changing requirements, and forget the old bloated virtual environment. What is stopping you from pulling the old `git clone <my-new-repo>` and just going for it? It is never too late try out a new tool, branch existing code and integrate with a new API/data source to create novel features, or perhaps, trying to tackle some old problems with fresh approaches. Learning new things is a whole lot faster without the weight of history on your shoulders. You got this!

Adéntrate en dudas de otros usuarios junto a ellos y sumérgete en las nuevas versiones, sin miedo, aplicando tus conocimientos y afianzando tus deducciones y el sentido común que nace de dichos conocimientos.

The ability to lead large-scale projects has been a cornerstone of my professional growth. From working with government bodies on national-scale flood management systems to developing GIS solutions for NGOs in disaster risk management, I’ve taken on projects that challenged me and allowed me to contribute to impactful causes. These experiences have pushed me to innovate and constantly strive for excellence, which in turn diminishes any lingering feelings of doubt. As a CEO, I encourage my team to take on ambitious projects and lead initiatives that create tangible impact.

Take time to acknowledge your achievements, no matter how small they may seem. This can help shift your mindset and replace feelings of self-doubt with a sense of pride and accomplishment. Keep a journal or create a vision board to document your progress and celebrate your successes. By reflecting on your accomplishments, you'll build a positive self-image and strengthen your belief in your abilities.

Careers can move in many directions. Look back and see how much you have achieved. Review old notes and do some math, like calculate latitude, longitude from degrees to radians using pencil and paper. Look forward and learn something new, like the latest version of your favorite software or scripting/coding tool. As other GIS sages have mentioned, no one person can know all aspects of geospatial information systems and the technologies, so read things like GIS Stack Exchange and seek input from others, which can be just the thing that moves your understanding forward.

It’s easy to focus on what we don’t know or the areas where we fall short, but reflecting on my own growth—whether it’s delivering a high-impact GIS model for a government project or successfully building partnerships with local NGOs—has been crucial. Celebrating these milestones reinforces confidence and reminds me that the path I’m on is driven by hard-earned knowledge and experience. Within my company, I ensure that we recognize individual and team successes regularly to keep morale high and foster a sense of collective achievement.

Be humble, there is too much for a single person to master. Networking allows you to “phone a friend”. As time and projects pass by, you will learn there is still too much you don’t know, but you will so learn who to ask or where to look.

Engagement as much as possible in projects related to Gis followed by the conferences, courses and trainings and help in achievement of your goal .

No avançar da vida profissional, os desafios de projetos de diferentes naturezas vão demandar o apoio de outros colegas. Seja ativo em redes de networking profissionais para ativar esse suporte quando necessário, bem como poder compartilhar e apoiar outros profissionais.

Building relationships within the GIS community has been essential to my development as a professional and a leader. From government departments to NGOs, I’ve forged strong ties that have enriched my knowledge base and opened doors for collaboration. Active networking, whether through LinkedIn or professional forums, keeps me in tune with the industry and provides access to collective wisdom. As a CEO, I prioritize fostering partnerships with other organizations to expand our reach and capabilities.

La conexión con otros en el campo de los SIG puede abrir puertas a oportunidades laborales, proyectos colaborativos y el intercambio de recursos, lo que enriquece tanto el desarrollo personal como el profesional.