In the May series, Claim the Real You, we’re talking about how to stay authentic. Being genuine seems like the obvious choice—until you stumble across parts of yourself you may not like much. You might think glossing over those parts is the only way out, but there’s a better option: See what needs to change and keep a sense of humor about whatever isn’t quite Instagram-ready.
Staying genuine was Marco’s challenge. His friendly chat with his former co-worker, Lori, got serious when he told her he had been laid off. “I have a favor—will you act as a reference for me?” he said tentatively.
“Absolutely!” Lori cried.
“What a relief! Just post a LinkedIn recommendation. That should help jumpstart job offers.”
A few clicks later, Lori sat shaking her head. Her first thought looking at Marco’s profile was, Who dat?!
Lori took a deep breath when Marco called again. “What’s the hesitation?” Marco asked. “I thought you were my friend!”
“I am your friend. But your profile seems off.”
“Off? What are you saying?!” Marco said defensively, “I’m just trying to be competitive. Recruiters encourage being descriptive—that’s all I’m trying to do.”
“I understand—but working on a cross-group team isn’t exactly “strategic development.” And managing a program doesn’t qualify you as “a member of the management team.” Lori’s voice softened. “Just be who you are—you’ve come too far to fake it.”
Marco thought inflating his credentials would help. He even told himself that everyone did it. But then his spin backfired.
Have you ever had a situation like Marco where a little illusion led to a big slippery slope? No one wants to own being nervous, stubborn, short-tempered or fearful. However, the only way to become the person you aspire to be is by building clarity.
Think of yourself like a creative, wise CEO. Who’s your ideal employee—someone with a good-natured sense of their shortcomings or the person trying to bluff their skill set? That weakness you can’t unsee is valuable, even if doesn’t feel like it at the time.
Claim clarity as your ally—it’s a must for staying authentic. Then use the soft skill of discernment to release judgment and make peace with where you are. Here are three ways to do that:
Everyone needs to evolve. Just make sure you start with the real you.