Don’t Be Authentic

Writing on LinkedIn a few years ago, then-Wharton Dean Geoffrey Garrett observed:

Being authentic is the best way to lead, but it’s no excuse for not thinking before you act.

In a sentence, Dean Garrett captured what has always bothered me about offering advice to "be authentic". Some people delight in saying whatever pops into their head, no matter whether it hurts others or is socially - or or ethically - inappropriate. Other people act like a bull in a china shop, racing from one whim to another, without any concern for the damage they do.

Do we really want a person like that to be his or her authentic self?

Authenticity isn't a high enough bar. You also need to combine it with a moral compass and an understanding of how human relationships work. You need to care about more than just what you want.

Lisa Rosh and Lynn Offermann warned in the Harvard Business Review:

The honest sharing of thoughts, feelings, and experiences at work is a double-edged sword: Despite its potential benefits, self-disclosure can backfire if it’s hastily conceived, poorly timed, or inconsistent with cultural or organizational norms—hurting your reputation, alienating employees, fostering distrust, and hindering teamwork.

Dean Garrett described how he tries to manage his own behavior:

I always try to be self-aware and self-reflective. How is my behavior affecting people around me? Is the way I am at work reflecting who I am as a person?

In many respects, authenticity is like a magnifying glass; it reveals your other personal qualities.

If you are a good person, then being authentic will make that obvious. Your actions and demeanor will demonstrate that others can trust you, and that they can take you at face value.

So by all means, be authentic. Just recognize that it is only a starting point.