Your Authenticity: Is it Evolving or Standing Still?

Have you ever worked on a project where the person heading the initiative tells you, “This really needs to go well.” For example, imagine you are conducting a pilot training for a new high-stakes client, or giving a presentation to the CEO of your company. To add more pressure, let’s say that you are using new skills in your project, perhaps for the first time. Sweating yet? In these situations, what is the first thing people usually abandon? For those of you who guessed “their authenticity,” you’re right. In today’s post I’m going to share my own engagement with authenticity in my work, as well as some best practices for staying true to yourself and providing value to your organization.

I’ll start with a confession. One of my favorite movies is Pirates of the Caribbean. Oh, that’s not the confession in case you were wondering, but I do admit to loving this movie with a fervor – the story, the acting, and the soundtrack. I suppose it takes me back to childhood where swashbuckling pirates and brave superheroes filled my imagination with color. Now here’s the confession. Several years ago before I met my husband I lived alone in a small house in Doraville, GA. With hardwood floors and simple furniture, the living room of the house provided a wide open space. Once in awhile at night I would put on the soundtrack to Pirates of the Carribean, tracks 3 and 4, and dance a wild sword-fighting routine (only air swords, of course)! I took ballet as a child so dancing comes naturally, but had any of my clients walked in at that moment they may have questioned their choice of vendor, or at least the sanity of said vendor. Or would they? That is the question to explore.

Lately the Highroad team and I have been engaged in some fascinating projects. I started conducting virtual classes via phone and web, traveled to India in March for a pilot team building program, and will be speaking to a crowd of about 200 in May for an event being videotaped. All of those projects are considered “high-stakes” to the people heading them up, and therefore to me. In this economic climate we all must be “on our toes” all of the time, or at least that how it feels. No matter what your current employment situation, you may be feeling this pressure to perform well and be the consummate professional. While I agree that we must always do our best, I also believe that our “best” comes from our authenticity. When under stress or pressure from others we tend to let go of this valuable resource too easily.

Yesterday I was working on a number of my high-pressure projects. In the midst of meeting the clients’ requirements and thinking about results and best outcomes, I felt a gentle but firm stirring inside. I thought back over my most successful presentations, trainings, and coaching assignments. What made them successful was the passion I brought to the table, the travel stories of riots in railway stations and five-day camel safaris in the Indian desert, and my unique approach to the projects. In spite of the growth of my business and the demands of increasingly complex assignments, I realized I must not lose the very thing that brought me success in the first place – my authenticity. Being professional and being true to your gifts and strengths are not mutually exclusive. They are mutually connected.

So what does this idea of authenticity in the workplace have to do with Pirates of the Caribbean? Everything, I say. I believe that authenticity is never lost, but sometimes gets buried under the expectations of others. Whenever I need a boost of truth I do two things: I reignite and reinvent. To reignite, I look to the past. When did I feel the most genuine in my life? The most connected with myself? When I woke up this morning I thought about those dances to the Pirates soundtrack in my old house. I knew I still had the CD, so I dug it up out of the basement, put it on, and had myself a good old fashioned dance around the living room. The spark was lit and when I sat down to work on my presentation for the crowd of 200, the ideas flowed and I got a good portion done before 9am.

To reinvent, I look at how my work has evolved, and I ask myself “how do I weave my authenticity into this new set of skills or new project?” For example, I recently wrote an article for Industrial Management Magazine about the stages that global businesses evolve through. Then I thought about how my own journeys as a travelers reflected a similar evolution through different stages, and how all of them brought value to my life and work. By framing the business concepts in the light of my stories, I felt more connected to both.

I encourage you to identify areas of your life where your authenticity needs attention. Are the expectations of others driving your decisions or are you willing to take some risks to be authentic come what may? Perhaps you could take one small step today to truly be yourself. Believe me, your organization needs that boldness of mind and heart, now more than ever. So do you. So does the world.