Even if you prefer to keep your work and personal lives separate, it’s important to be your authentic self at work. While you may want to slightly adjust the way you think, interact and behave in the professional setting, being authentic enables you to share your true personality with your colleagues, partners and customers – which ultimately can help you to build stronger, more meaningful relationships.
Being your authentic self professionally and personally means your personality at work and at home are similar, if not identical. While some aspects of an individual’s personality may not be as appropriate to demonstrate in a work setting, being your authentic self at work may help you become more comfortable and contribute to a happier and healthier work environment.
Being authentically you at work can be very beneficial to your mental health and professional growth opportunities. It allows you to be open and more effectively build trust with others, which oftentimes can help you to develop a stronger professional network and gain an advantage in promotion selection. Also, sharing your authentic personality and personal experiences may encourage your coworkers to act more authentically as well.
If you’re hoping to be more authentic at work, consider this list of ways you can display your personality in the workplace:
While being yourself at work can mean focusing on your own forms of self-expression, it’s also important to listen to others in order to build relationships. Listening also helps your coworkers express themselves authentically. To demonstrate to your coworker that you’re listening to them, consider asking them questions or reacting nonverbally to their stories with an action such as nodding your head or maintaining consistent eye contact.
When appropriate, consider sharing your experiences, both personally and professionally. This may help others relate to you or establish your expertise in a certain topic. When sharing your experiences, consider the timing of your story and whether it’s helpful to share it at that moment.
As you establish relationships, you may start to trust your colleagues with more personal information. In order for others to reciprocate this trust, actively listen to their stories and build a relationship with them. Often, sharing your authentic personality with them can help them feel comfortable doing the same. This builds trust between you and your coworkers, which can foster a more positive work environment.
Being your authentic self often requires being honest with others. It’s important to share stories about yourself that are true and to share your honest, respectful opinion if an associate asks for it. Being honest also may include setting boundaries. For example, if a coworker asks you something personal that you do not feel comfortable answering, explain that you’re uncomfortable and politely decline to answer. Being honest yet also setting boundaries can help establish your true personality in your workplace.
A version of this article will be featured in Edition 1 of 2024 in our official magazine, Redefining The Road. Download the latest edition here.
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