Peter prided himself on being “buttoned-up” as an executive. He had been taught to be professional and polished in every circumstance. This all seemed to work okay for the first decade or so of his career. But then something went wrong. He noticed that his team was uninspired. Their engagement scores were low, and he was losing key people to competitors.
At the same time, he was starting to feel a kind of hollowness about his work and his life. He wasn’t sure if he was really happy. The problem was, he didn’t know where to start or what to work on.
Employees today have very different expectations of their leaders than they did a decade ago. They want to work for someone they feel they know well and trust. They don’t expect perfection; they expect honesty and openness. These employees have been immersed in social media for most of their working lives and sharing who you are and what you care about is all part of it. Especially now that the lines between people’s private and professional lives are blurred, you can’t really get away with putting on a different persona for work — not if you want to connect with others in a meaningful way.
Authentic leaders know this. They openly face their gifts and strengths as well as their vulnerabilities and development challenges. They know themselves well. They don’t try to be someone they’re not, no matter the environment or circumstances. And through their own authenticity, they make it safe for others to be themselves at work, too.
Showing your true self at work can be tricky You want to maintain professionalism while also bringing your whole self to the job Finding that balance requires self-awareness, vulnerability, and intentionality.
As a leader, fostering authenticity in the workplace has many benefits. Authentic teams have higher engagement, performance, innovation, and belonging. They also see less turnover.
But cultivating authenticity takes effort on both the employee and employer side. Here are 10 ways you can encourage authenticity at work.
1. Lead by Example
If you want your team to show up authentically, you have to model it first. Share appropriate glimpses into your life outside work. Talk about your hobbies, kids, pets, or favorite sports team.
Describe your thought process on big decisions Admit when you make a mistake Ask for feedback regularly.
Opening up shows your human side and makes you more relatable. It gives employees permission to let their guard down as well.
2. Loosen Up Policies
Strict, old-school policies discourage authentic expression. Rethink any guidelines around self-expression that seem rigid.
Relax rules around casual dress, flexible schedules, remote work, and social media use. Give employees freedom to be themselves.
Within reason, let your team decorate their personal workspaces how they want. Photos, plants, artwork, and other personal touches promote authenticity.
3. Promote Vulnerability
Vulnerability does not come naturally in the workplace. But it’s essential for authentic connection.
Encourage vulnerability by sharing your own first. Admit your struggles and how you work through challenges.
Call on employees to open up during team meetings. Explore training on vulnerability. Define it as a workplace value.
Set the expectation that people bring their whole selves to work – strengths and growth areas included.
4. Foster Inclusion
Exclusion is the enemy of authenticity. Prejudice and bias force employees to hide parts of themselves.
Build an inclusive culture where everyone’s background is welcomed and valued. Seek diverse perspectives. Shut down intolerant attitudes quickly.
Promote employee resource groups that unite individuals with shared identities. Make space for open dialogue on diversity.
5. Forget Formality
Stiff, formal work environments prevent authentic relating. Ditch unnecessary protocol and pretense.
Don’t force collaboration through rigid org charts and excessive process. Allow natural relationships to develop.
Encourage casual peer interactions through open office plans, common spaces, and virtual water cooler chats.
6. Personalize Development
One-size-fits-all training hampers authentic growth. Employees need personalized development pathways.
Provide tailored coaching that helps individuals identify their purpose and reach their potential.
Support each person in crafting their own career path, not just climbing the ladder. Growth should align with their unique strengths and interests.
7. Show Genuine Care
Employees hide their true selves when they feel like just another cog in the corporate wheel.
Get to know your people as more than workers. Learn about their passions, families, challenges, and dreams.
Accommodate personal needs when possible, such as caregiving responsibilities or mental health struggles. Go beyond required benefits.
8. Loosen Control
Micromanagement and over-surveillance breed inauthenticity. Trust your people enough to grant autonomy.
Allow creativity and self-expression to flow freely. Don’t dictate how work gets done step-by-step.
Avoid monitoring that feels invasive, like tracking keyboard strokes. Offer flexibility in choices like device usage.
9. Flatten Hierarchy
Steep org charts with levels of approvals hinder authenticity. Flatten structure to empower employees.
Remove unnecessary gatekeepers between staff and leadership. Shorten the distance in making decisions.
Create cross-functional teams that give more visibility outside silos. Leaders should roll up their sleeves alongside staff.
10. Normalize Emotion
Workplaces traditionally require employees to check emotions at the door. That takes a toll on mental health and authentic relating.
Allow people to be human, not robots. Don’t ask them to numb themselves to feel accepted.
Make space for grief, stress, joy, frustration, and other emotions. Offer empathetic support during struggles.
With trust and compassion, you can build a workplace where people show up as their true, best selves. What does authenticity look like in your organization? What steps could you take to encourage more openness?
Myth #2: “If I open up and share more about myself, someone could use that information against me.”
Peter has been burned before. A close colleague — a guy he trusted and thought was a friend — sabotaged him by reporting something Peter had shared in confidence with him to his boss. From then on, Peter learned to keep things close to the vest and not trust too many people. He protects himself by being “professional,” which means cool and calm, disconnected, impersonal. But this is all about Peter and his professional safety. He’s playing it safe.
Myth #1: “I’m a different person at work and at home.”MORE FOR YOU
Peter may think that it’s a good idea to separate who he is at home from who he is and how he behaves at work. But in fact, he is not a totally different person in these two environments. He tends toward perfectionism in both. He likes things tidy and really doesn’t enjoy chaos or confusion, whether it’s with his team or his kids. Seeing the patterns at play both at home and at work can help Peter be a better human being regardless of environment or context.
Authentic leaders are self-aware of their strengths as well as their limitations. They show their real selves to their team and family. They don’t act one way in private and another in public. And they don’t hide their mistakes or weaknesses out of fear of looking weak, stupid or incompetent.
How to Discover Your Authentic Self — at Any Age | Bevy Smith | TED
How do you promote authenticity at work?
How we communicate is a big part of authenticity at work; your team needs to feel safe and supported in speaking their mind and sharing their thoughts, ideas, and opinions. To promote this kind of culture on your team, you have to create space for more candid discussions. 24% of employees don’t feel like their peers welcome different opinions.
How can I Be my Authentic Self at work?
One way you can be your authentic self at work is by dressing in clothing that allows you to display your personality. Refer to your company’s dress code in order to choose an outfit that both expresses your personality and follows the workplace rules.
What does it take to be authentic at work?
In fact, authenticity at work is actually hard work. It takes psychological safety, trust, belonging, inclusion, and strong relationships. It takes a level of vulnerability — and sometimes, really going outside of your comfort zone . And sometimes, it takes getting to know yourself before you learn how to be authentic at work.
How do you build a more authentic workplace?
Being able to show up as your true self and empower your team to do the same is a must for building a more authentic workplace. And authentic workplaces outperform the competition, retain their top talent, and create the conditions for great work. Equip HR and managers with tools to engage, recognize, and drive performance.
