Why Bringing Your Authentic Self To Work Is Bad Advice

Is “just be yourself at work” really the best advice? In this 500th episode of the Squiggly Careers podcast, Helen and Sarah explore the tricky topic of authenticity — and why being 100% yourself at work might not always help you succeed.

Borrowing brilliance from Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, they discuss the difference between effective vs. ineffective authenticity, why trust often matters more than “being real,” and how to adapt without feeling fake. You’ll learn three practical actions to help you show up authentically and intentionally in ways that work for you, your team, and your career.

Episode 500

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⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 Introduction & Announcement

02:19 Celebrating 500 episodes 🎉

06:32 What is “effective authenticity”?

09:05 Why trust may be more important than authenticity

11:40 Action 1

17:55 Action 2

21:16 Action 3

23:35 Questions to help you apply this week’s shortcut

25:41 What’s next: Borrowing brilliance from maps

🎯 What You’ll Learn

- The difference between helpful and unhelpful authenticity

- Why trust and emotional intelligence matter more than “bringing your whole self”

- How to balance being true to yourself with adapting to your team

- 3 actions you can take to use authenticity for career success

📚 Resources Mentioned

Don't Be Yourself: Why Authenticity Is Overrated (and What to Do Instead) by Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dont-Be-Yourself-Authenticity-Overrated/dp/1647829836

HBR Article: https://hbr.org/2025/08/do-you-have-an-emotionally-intelligent-team

The Values Institute https://values.institute/

AI Skills Sprint - https://youtu.be/5swOYWW6l7M?feature=shared

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