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Unlocking Authenticity

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Unlocking Authenticity

Why we hide who we are at work — and how to redefine culture from the inside out

Practical Inspiration Publishing,

15 min read
8 take-aways
Audio & text

What's inside?

Stop covering, masking, and code-switching and learn to be your authentic self.

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Editorial Rating

7

getAbstract Rating

  • Applicable
  • Concrete Examples
  • Engaging

Recommendation

Though HR teams champion “authenticity,” at most companies it remains little more than a buzzword. Employees rarely feel completely comfortable revealing their true selves at work. With refreshing candor, workplace inclusion expert Shivani Uberoi explains the true cost of suppressing personal authenticity: the identity tax, the energy drain, and the quiet erosion of self-worth. Drawing on research and real workplace stories, Uberoi offers leaders a practical, compassionate playbook for building cultures where people don’t have to conceal who they are. The result is a valuable guide to leading with intention and building an inspiring legacy.

Summary

Though authenticity is a much-lauded trait, square pegs rarely prevail in companies built for round holes.

Many corporations celebrate authenticity and encourage employees to be true to themselves. In reality, however, the people who manage to scale the corporate ladder are those who exhibit certain desirable behaviors, fit their company’s culture, and click with senior leaders, even if it means hiding or suppressing aspects of their true selves.

Many mistakenly assume that being authentic means acting in the same way — as your one true self — in every context. Yet you wouldn’t, say, speak to your children the same way you’d address a boardroom. You needn’t change the fundamentals of who you are to thrive in various settings. True authenticity empowers you to choose which facet of yourself to bring to the forefront in a given situation, without fear of shame, judgment, or disrespect.

Indeed, the difference between adapting and suppressing your identity boils down to choice. Let the “three zones of authenticity” guide how you opt to act in any context, without compromising your values:

  1. “Aligned zone” — In this zone, your “core self” ...

About the Author

Chartered accountant and entrepreneur Shivani Uberoi is a leading workplace inclusion expert who helps organizations drive sustainable change. She’s a TEDx speaker,  board adviser, and former leader at PwC and Sky.

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