Being Authentic at Work or Faking It?
At work, can you be authentic or do you always have to fake it? Defining authenticity or being “real” can be an entire philosophical dissertation. A Buddhist may even say there is no true self. So to avoid obfuscation, I will use the following psychological definition found in research to define authenticity: authenticity is being aware of desires, objectively assessing strengths and weaknesses, engaging in behavior consistent with values and goals and being interpersonally honest. Studies indicate that greater authenticity can enhance self-esteem and overall wellbeing (Goldman & Kernis, 2002). Many people come to therapy because they want to live more authentically and discover their genuine feelings and motivations. However, what happens when one is at a job where being authentic can cause problems? Telling your boss off, or your client how you really feel about them could mean filing for unemployment. Do you fake it? The following are tips on how to cope when being authentic at work can be problematic.