For some people Halloween is the greatest holiday of all, and they look forward to it all year. It’s a time to decorate your front porch with carved pumpkins, devour endless amounts of candy corn, dash through a haunted house, and dress up as a zombie or superhero. There is also no age limit when it comes to enjoying this holiday – there are candies and costumes for everyone at every age. But what happens when you feel like you’re wearing a mask or a protective suit of armor to work every day?
Today, more than ever, showing up in the workplace as your true, genuine, and authentic self is a top priority for individuals, and many companies are committed to creating a culture where workers feel comfortable “bringing their whole selves” to the workplace. In fact, recent studies show that authenticity in the workplace correlates with greater job satisfaction. Of those surveyed who feel they can be authentic at work, 71% feel more confident, 60% feel more engaged, and 46% feel happier.
However, there are still a great number of professionals who get armored up everyday to go to work, who feel like they need to pretend and play a particular role to get ahead, and who don’t fully trust that letting their guard down won’t come back to bite them.
Follow the ON Point Action Plan so you can remove the mask and show up at work as your true and authentic self.
7 Ways to Remove the Mask & Be Authentic at Work
Start Small – if you have traditionally been more private & reserved, you’ll want to dip your toe in rather than diving into the deep end of authenticity
Build Personal Relationships – get to know the people you already naturally feel connected to on a deeper level & maybe extend that outside of work
Get Engaged – join specific Employee Resource Groups or initiatives that reflect a cause that you feel passionately about as do the other members
Share Experiences – everyone has a story & sharing the successes as well as the failures & mistakes allows people to be human, relatable & authentic
Be Real – no one likes a fake handbag & they definitely don’t respond positively to a fake person; consistently showing up in a real way builds trust
Show Empathy – expressing genuine care, concern & compassion for other people allows the personal connection to feel more authentic & holistic
Fess Up – pretending that you know everything & have all the answers is a façade people see through; admit when you’re wrong or don’t know
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