Reputation, Authenticity, and Work
Conscious leadership fosters an environment where people can be their true selves
I’ve worked remotely for a decade, but I’ve recently changed my morning routine to be “camera ready” for more video calls during the day. That means actually brushing my hair and putting on a little makeup. In the past, I would just put on yoga clothes, pull my hair back and work all day without seeing anyone else’s face (most calls were audio only). But recently everything has shifted to video, and I suddenly had to think about how I present myself on camera.
I’ve been on more than one video call over the last few months where someone has turned on their camera and immediately apologized for what they perceive as their less-than-polished appearance. On other calls, some never turn on their camera because they feel they don’t look professional enough that day.
This transition to video work calls got me thinking about the reputation we build at work and how our current circumstances require more authenticity and vulnerability.
Most employees want to maintain a certain perception of ourselves in the workplace. One that is professional, in charge, and commanding respect. Sometimes people spend years carefully building an image they believe will help advance their career. But that image can be quickly shattered when they’re suddenly hosting video calls from their messy kitchen with kids running around in the background. We may be physically socially distanced, but the traditional standard of professional distancing has disappeared.
Suddenly coworkers get an intimate view of your home life. Perhaps a view you don’t want them to see. You feel threatened that your carefully crafted image could be shattered, as could your career advancement prospects.
On a more fundamental level, what we’re experiencing right now is an examination of reputation, authenticity, and how we work.
Perhaps it’s time for us to accept this new way of working and living by embracing authenticity and vulnerability. Yes, it’s important to be professional in the sense that how we interact with our family is distinct from how we interact with friends and colleagues. They are different kinds of relationships and there are different expectations for how we show up in each.
But we’re ascending into a new way of being as a society. We are realizing how connected we are. Vulnerability and authenticity help connect us. By sharing our personal struggles and stories, we strengthen relationships. Vulnerability about a less-than-perfect life behind the scenes requires relationships built on trust.
Too often we’re afraid that if we share our true selves with others, we will be rejected. This is especially true in the workplace. If your true self doesn’t fit the culture, you’ll be looking for a new job. So we construct images that will fit into a specific work culture, until we move to a new job with a different culture and we recreate ourselves again. What if the future of work meant more conscious leadership that asked people to be themselves and helped them grow, without fear of reputation loss?
All of us are at varying levels of comfort with authenticity. We still have room for growth. I’m still probably going to put on a touch of makeup before video calls. But it’s definitely worth asking how we can all be more authentic with each other. How can we be more conscious leaders in our workplace and create environments where authenticity and vulnerability are not only embraced, but championed?
In future newsletters I’ll share some of my tips on how to build a professional reputation in a remote workplace. I’ll also share some of my tips on how I get camera ready and host video meetings. In the meantime, I ask you to step back and consider how much authenticity, vulnerability, and trust are fostered in your company’s culture. How can you create more space for growth in these areas for your team? By doing so, you’re helping build a more conscious workplace for the future of work.
Work happy. Live happy. BE happy.
Meredith
Meredith’s coaching helps conscious leaders step courageously into the future of work. Contact her to develop your conscious leadership and transform your organization into the workplace of the future.
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