Authentic in the Workplace?

I don’t get asked: ‘Should I be “Me” in the workplace?’, but the issue of authenticity is part and parcel of professionalism. To clarify, I’m talking about you being YOU not you being ‘Me’ so to speak…. Hope that makes sense. The short answer to that questions is that it depends on who the authentic person is and what part of that personality is “work safe”.

Being authentic and professional can be less stressful for some people or more for others. I mean what if the real YOU has an encyclopedia knowledge of bathroom jokes? (‘hypothetical’ question of course….) And sure, embracing YOUR inner Trekkie and proudly displaying memorabilia in your cube can make for a more satisfying 8 hour work day. But, only if you can handle the heat of inevitable Star Trek jokes from coworkers that will plague you.

Being who you are takes less personal energy, but a person’s “inner self” may not have the ability to filter the appropriate from the inappropriate when we first start working. If we even know what is appropriate. A filter comes with time and mistakes. For the first year at any company, its best to be cautious until understanding the corporate culture. The first year can open you up to all sorts of troubles if not handled delicately. 

Being authentic, to me at least, is all about being centered. Expect to take a few knocks for that pleasure to be sure. People tend to become what they practice. So if your corporate mask is always in place, it is a safe bet that parts of that ‘mask’ will get ingrained into your personality. That can be a good thing or bad depending on what part of our personality needs a little polish.

The kicker is to be conscious of what ‘face’ we show people and what we choose to keep to ourselves. Is being the ‘you’ going to make you happier as a person? Yeah, it will. Will that real ‘you’ keep a job? Tough to say. So, as is much of life, it becomes a balancing act as well as a learning process.

But, if the ‘action figure’ of Spock brightens your day, then go for it. Just expect to be ribbed about it.