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My colleagues are not half as critical of me as I am of myself. In fact, they say they really value me for the expertise I bring to the team. This I find astounding, for I am more likely to think of myself as an imposter.

You can probably imagine my astonishment then when my manager told me today that they consider me a thought leader, with some sort of diplomatic skill for nudging people towards a better way of working and letting them think it was their idea.

Is it true? Do I have real insights to bring, and only I do not recognise it? Do I have more skills and experience than I give myself credit for? Have I been underestimating and misrepresenting my abilities? Has my negative self-image undermined my self-belief?

The truth of the matter: I don’t see myself as they see me. I don’t think I bring anything extraordinary to the table. Really, I just think I’m a pretty simple person, who seeks simplicity. That’s really what governs my approach: seeking the simplest solution to achieve the desired outcome.

Perhaps from the perspective of someone lost in the details, this approach seems like a piercing insight, but to me it is just common sense. I cannot understand why the team spends so much time on generating complexity which offers no value over what could have been achieved by doing only what was required.

But could it be that they’re right? Could it be that this is the difference that the chromodiversity advocates speak of in terms of unlocking strengths? Who knows? Maybe I’ll take their word for it and try to find a way to be more generous to and forgiving of myself. Perhaps there’s a place for simple after all.