"Don't bring your authentic self to work. I don't want your authentic self to work. I want your professional self. I want your respectful self,"
"I want your empathetic self. I want your competent self. You can bring your authentic self to a Thanksgiving meal with your family if you'd like."
"Could you imagine if I brought my authentic New York self to every interrogation I did?"
"Non-judgment. Poker face. You know why? Because what I think, my authentic self, is irrelevant."
Bringing an unfiltered personal identity into professional settings can undermine objectives and team cohesion. A professional self that emphasizes respect, empathy, competence, nonjudgment, and measured emotion serves workplace goals better than a focus on individual authenticity. In high-stakes encounters, restraint and a neutral demeanor can elicit crucial information and protect vulnerable parties. Prioritizing professionalism shifts attention from one person to collective performance and collaboration. Authentic personal expression remains appropriate in private or social contexts, while workplace interactions benefit from behavior aligned with role responsibilities and the needs of the team or mission.
Read at Fortune
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