Authenticity in the workplace is often compromised by corporate culture, which values conformity over individuality despite its proclaimed importance.
Embracing vulnerability, including sharing failures, can enhance trust and foster a culture of innovation within teams.
Deep dives
Navigating Corporate Authenticity
Being authentic in the corporate environment often conflicts with the need to maintain a professional facade. Companies frequently tout authenticity as a core value through orientation materials and meetings, but actual corporate behavior tends to reward the opposite. Employees are often encouraged to dial down their true selves for the sake of appearing more controlled and polished. This paradox raises questions about the feasibility of being genuinely authentic when corporate culture seems to value conformity over individuality.
Personal Experiences with Authenticity
A senior executive shared her journey from being a college dropout to a successful vice president, emphasizing that authenticity served as a key driver in her career. She initially faced challenges when told her authentic self was too loud for the corporate environment, which highlighted the tension between personal identity and corporate expectations. However, embracing her true self ultimately garnered respect and loyalty from her team. This experience underscored the idea that authenticity can create a humanizing effect in leadership and foster trust among colleagues.
The Role of Failure in Growth
Failure is often viewed negatively, but it can serve as a foundation for personal and professional growth, as articulated by the senior executive. She highlighted a pivotal interview experience where sharing her failures led to a deeper connection with a potential employer, demonstrating how vulnerability can be an asset. Acknowledging mistakes and learning from them encourages a culture of innovation, as leaders who are open about their failures can create safe environments for their teams. This approach not only builds trust but also fosters risk-taking essential for organizational advancement.
Setting Boundaries in Leadership
For leaders striving to maintain authenticity, establishing clear boundaries with team members is crucial. The challenge lies in balancing personal relationships with professional responsibilities, as becoming too familiar can complicate leadership dynamics. Knowing when to draw the line is essential, particularly when performance reviews or difficult conversations arise. This balance not only protects the leader's integrity but also ensures that the team understands the distinction between camaraderie and professional accountability.
Surfing Corporate shines an honest light on the everyday hardships of the corporate world, through a relatable and entertaining lens. In our first episode, we tackle the topic of "authenticity at the workplace." It seems like authenticity is the new “hype” word these days. It’s suddenly become one of many company’s core values –– it appears in big graphic letters on the company’s orientation video; it’s highlighted in all of the fancy corporate decks; CEOs love to throw the word “AUTHENTIC” around at staff meetings, and HR tells any potential candidate how important it is for their employees to be authentic. But it seems like the more people talk about the importance of being authentic, the less authentic it becomes. We talk with a Senior Vice President of marketing in the media industry, who landed in corporate by chance. She's a college dropout who considers that, in her case, being authentic worked to her advantage.
