Columbia professor says 'don't be yourself' in the workplace, actually. Here's why authenticity is 'overrated' | Fortune

"While authenticity has been linked with increased self-esteem, it can also hamper a leader's ability know when to stop advocating for one's personal values and start advocating for their team, Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, a professor of business psychology at University College London and Columbia University adjunct professor, says in his new book Don't Be Yourself: Why Authenticity Is Overrated (and What to Do Instead)."

""Feeling authentic does not equate to being perceived as talented or competent by others," Chamorro-Premuzic writes in his book, an excerpt of which was adapted for Harvard Business Review online. "Despite the subjective benefits of authenticity, being true to ourselves does not translate into being better colleagues or leaders." As the return-to-office movement sparked debate not only on work-life balance but on how to integrate or separate one's personal and professional lives."

"The generation eschewing traditional dress code and leveraging the " Gen Z stare" may embody authenticity, but some would argue it's holding them back. Suzy Welch, a business journalist and adjunct professor at New York University's Stern School of Business, went so far as to air whether entry-level workers are " unemployable " due to the gap between the generation's workplace expectations and employer demands."

Authenticity often raises self-esteem but can impede effective leadership by making it harder to shift from personal values to team priorities. Feeling authentic does not guarantee being perceived as talented or competent by colleagues. Subjective benefits of authenticity do not necessarily improve collegial or leadership performance. Debates over return-to-office policies have intensified tensions between personal and professional identity integration. Emerging Gen Z workers often embody visible authenticity but may face criticism for lacking workplace soft skills and for expectations that clash with employer demands, prompting some leaders to urge more professional restraint.

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