Authenticity is a word that has been talked about so much in recent years. It seems as if everyone is telling you to be true to yourself. However, this can be difficult in the workplace, especially for women.
The problem is in today’s 21st Century having a dual personality (1 at work and 1 at home) is too difficult. Social media has blurred the lines and if someone comes across something out of character it is likely to make them feel as if you are hiding something, and you are hiding it for a reason.
The truth is that professional working environment, in the “West” at least, is designed for a white, middle-class, middle aged-man. Therefore, as a mixed-race, working class, millennial women there are definitely some aspects of my life that don’t fit into the idea of behaving ‘professionally’. So here are my tops tips for being you and professional at the same time.
- Know your values
Part of authenticity is about being genuine. To be your genuine self you need to really know yourself. This is easier for some people than other. Some people have strong views, whether that is politically, ethically, spiritually etc. For others though, it needs a bit of extra thought. So take some time to ask yourself: what are my values? What is important to me? What do I care about? Knowing this will help you to express yourself from a genuine, self-aware place. Then in the future if someone disagrees at least you will have acknowledged it as a genuine value of yours, rather than a flippant comment.
- Build a Personal Brand
People like the familiar and consistent. They like to feel that they know who they are dealing with and how that person will perform and react. So to excel professionally you need to be seen as predictable, which in part comes down to consistency. The thing is that you have a choice about the person they see at work everyday. You can choose to mix elements of your more conventional and unconventional self to present a personal brand that is still acceptable. Rather than thinking of hiding aspects, think of highlighting areas that naturally fit with the ‘professional’ environment you are in.
- There is a difference between being open and oversharing
Most people think that being authentic means you have to be honest and open about EVERYTHING. The truth is that if no one asks you about that tattoo you got in Ibiza when you were a teenager than don’t tell them! When you spend more hours at work than with their loved ones and in some environments the atmosphere is friendly that it is easy to think your colleagues are your best friends. However, you need to remember in 99% of cases they are not. Remember, there is a difference between lying and not mentioning.
I hope this advice helps, but this advice is for people who struggle with authenticity in an environment they feel comfortable in. If you genuinely feel as if you can’t be yourself at work and you have to hide your true self.. then it is probably time to move on. The fact is in today’s world there is a company that will accept you for who you are…or of course, you could become your own boss.
Please leave a comment below about how you deal with being authentic at work? Do you agree we should be authentic? Or are you happy performing the role of a different person when you are at the office? Have you ever had massive clashes that have resulted in you having to leave a workplace? Let me know!
