Authentic or Adapted: How Much of Yourself Should You Bring to Work?

A real conversation on culture, professionalism, and the silent cost of hiding who we are.

The Debate We All Feel but Rarely Say Out Loud

The other day, I listened to an episode of the podcast Diary of a CEO where Steven’s guest was Evy Poumpouras — former Secret Service agent, and she said something that really had me thinking:

“Never be your authentic self at work. Authenticity is sabotaging you.”

She argued that the idea of being your “authentic self” at work is a myth. That workplaces demand adaptation and that the most successful people understand the culture and observe the language of power at their workplace and show up accordingly. Even though I follow Steven’s podcast, I only listened to this particular episode because it was referenced in the comments of a TikTok video I was watching (yes, I watch a lot of TikTok, lol) where Jodie Taylor expressed the same idea: that showing up as your authentic self is essentially naïve and even career-limiting. Instead, the advice was to be professional, strategic, and aligned with the culture of the organization. As someone who works in corporate and advocates for DEI, I found myself wrestling with this notion, and I suspect others do too, especially Black and diaspora professionals. So, let’s talk about it.

Is authenticity a liability? A strength? Or something more complicated?

What Do We Even Mean by “Authentic Self”?

The podcast drew this distinction:

• Authentic Self = “everything I naturally am, unfiltered, unedited, unchanged”
• Genuine Self = “who I am with integrity, but exercised with emotional intelligence, situational awareness, and professionalism”

I will say that distinction matters. Because authenticity, as a concept, can often misinterpreted as “Take me as I am. Period.” But workplaces aren’t necessarily built for that level of rawness… for anyone.

Not for introverts. Not for Type-A personalities. Not for executives. Not for new grads. And not for us in the diaspora navigating cultures within cultures. Everyone modulates.

Everyone filters something. And everyone (ought to) “read the room.” But the question is: how much filtering becomes too much? And who pays the biggest price?

The DEI Lens: Why This Conversation Hits Us Differently

At the Black Enterprise Elevate Everywhere event, one speaker mentioned a line that I had to write down:

“[Corporate] Culture should attract what you want and deter what you don’t.”

I feel like I’ve always thought about culture in terms of what and who want to attract, never gave much thought to what we want to reject. But truly, corporate culture is never neutral. It either creates space for difference… or quietly squeezes it out. And that’s the organization being authentic to what they believe in and stand for. The culture at a tech startup and one on Bay Street, will inevitably differ, and that’s ok.

That said, for many Black, immigrant, and diaspora professionals, authenticity isn’t just “being myself. [expressively].” It’s:

• language and/or accent
• hair
• cultural references
• communication style
• family responsibilities
• faith
• emotional expression
• and unspoken survival instincts from navigating bias.

So when people say, “don’t be your authentic self,” it can feel like: “leave your culture at home. It’s unprofessional.” And that can create a silent burden of constant code-switching, cultural shrinking, burnout from performing a version of yourself you don’t even recognize, or fear that being culturally visible = being less promotable. This isn’t the same experience for everyone, which is why DEI matters. Representation matters. Belonging matters. So how do you adapt to the corporate culture without feeling lost or disingenuous? This topic can’t be reduced to “just adapt.”

The Organizational Reality: Companies Want Results

This part is true. Organizations not only want but need people who:

• get results
• support business goals
• collaborate effectively
• understand professional norms

This is not anti-DEI. This is the nature of any high-performing workplace. What level of adaptation does this require though? Because here’s the nuance missing in the “never be your authentic self” argument: Adapting to culture should not require abandoning identity. You can be professional and be yourself. You can understand corporate culture and honor your own culture. You can meet business needs and maintain cultural integrity.

Adaptation should be skillful — not self-erasing.

The Real Question: Are We Talking About Authenticity… or Alignment?

Maybe the real debate isn’t authenticity. Maybe the real debate is: Does this environment (aka corporate culture) allow me to be my genuine self? Or does it force me to shrink? Because (most) people don’t hide themselves out of strategy. People hide themselves out of self-protection.

If you feel like showing up fully will cost you:

• opportunities
• leadership visibility
• psychological safety
• being seen as “professional”

…then that’s not an authenticity problem. That’s a corporate culture problem.

Not Showing Up as Yourself Vs. Being Genuine

When you’re constantly “managing” your identity, it shows up in: mental exhaustion, decreased creativity, hesitation to speak up, lowered confidence, strained team relationships, and limited long-term advancement. No one should have to wrestle with that. So what’s the Middle Ground? The Genuine Self.

Here’s where I felt the podcast made a productive point. Showing up as your genuine self means:

• not being phony
• not pretending to be someone else
• not dimming your values
• but also not dumping unfiltered emotions or personal chaos into the workplace
• using discernment
• embodying emotional intelligence

It means:

1. Authenticity + self-awareness
2. Authenticity + professionalism
3. Authenticity + emotional intelligence

Your culture doesn’t have to be hidden. But it also doesn’t need to be weaponized. There is power in being rooted, balanced, and wise.

So… Should You Be Your Authentic Self at Work?

Here’s my take: Be your genuine self. The version of you that is grounded, self-aware, values-driven, and culturally whole. Not the unfiltered version. Not the masked version. The integrated version.

Adapt to your environment — but don’t abandon your identity. Participate in the culture — but don’t shrink your own. And if the workplace can’t handle your genuine self? That says more about that corporate culture than it does about you. Embracing your identity doesn’t mean your professionalism disappears.

In closing, my prayer is that everyone is fortunate to expereince a workplace where excellence and authenticity strengthen one another as I have had the priveledge to experience. Because we belong everywhere.

Grace & Peace ❤️