Today I felt to write with my own words my opinion about being myself everywhere I go. At the end we are all humans and we need to treat people with respect and love.
Do you feel you’re one person at home and an entirely different person at work? While it’s true that you have to behave professionally at work and can’t treat it as casually as the rest of your life, this is more about when you’re forced to hide your true personality and pretend to filter yourself. Hiding behind a mask can be exhausting, stressful, and unsustainable.
Admitting when we don’t know something, accepting responsibility for our errors, or genuinely seeking assistance are easy ways to be authentic at work. All of these need bravery, willingness to accept vulnerability, and the ability to let go of the urge to be correct. Here’s what you can do.
Stop Acting Per Your Assumptions
Every company has a unique culture, values, expectations, etc., and most people are skilled at analysing what is needed of us to integrate and perform well. The smartest employees are self-reflective; they review their actions in various contexts to determine what works best. This offers them a significant advantage when dealing with any workplace problem. They genuinely try to assess a situation and adjust their attitude.
It’s worth mentioning that assumptions can be wrong. If you watch your colleagues enjoying a drink sometimes, it's foolish to label them as addicts. They could very well be enjoying the office party, and you jumping to the wrong conclusions can make the otherwise fun situation a tricky thing to handle.
Ask for Help When You Need It
When you consider the areas that require flexibility to make adjustments, it might necessitate talking to your managers. Feel free to express your opinion. Your boss cannot read your mind. Want to explore the hybrid working model or change how things are done? Want to collaborate more with the team members you get along with? Want to be better able to manage your workload and receive fewer random assignments? Talk to someone about it!
The Cultural Fit
If you feel different from your co-workers, there could be occasions when you may feel like you don’t belong and must pretend to be someone you’re not. You can experience pressure to participate in activities that aren’t truly related to your job or to go to after-work drinks that you don’t enjoy. The only thing that matters is how well you do your job.
You’re not obligated to be like the rest of your team. You do you. And once you start being authentic and making decisions that come naturally to you, your co-workers will come to accept and respect your originality. It all boils down to being willing to be who you are.
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