I had an interesting conversation with someone who has recently left their full-time job for an entrepreneurial venture. This person shared something profound. That he left his job, not because of workload or pay, but because he was tired of pretending!

Many workplaces are highly political and filled with people wearing masks. These carefully crafted personas know when to speak, remain silent and always appear aligned. They read the room instinctively. They sense where power sits and adjust their posture accordingly.

Masks work. They help people survive and become successful even though the organisation suffers as a ‘yes boss’ culture takes root.

But some people move through workplaces without a mask. They are sincere, direct, and unguarded. They don’t rehearse their words. They do not play for optics. They do not adjust their personality to fit the room.

And for all that, they are often misunderstood as most workplaces do not know what to do with such people.

The person who speaks plainly is labelled ‘not political’. The one who does not posture is seen as ‘naïve’. The one who values truth over optics is sidelined as ‘not leadership material’.

We say they fail. But maybe they understand something others have forgotten. When success depends on wearing a mask, choosing not to wear one is not foolishness. It is a well thought out decision. And often, the person taking this decision knows it will be a costly one!

But that assumes that they are only chasing success in their current role and career. Most likely, this limited definition of success is not their game.

Authentic people are not chasing titles or applause. They are chasing coherence between what they believe, what they say, and how they live. Measured by corporate scorecards, they may look unsuccessful. Measured by their own values, they have not failed at all.

Authenticity unsettles corporations because it exposes the game. It reminds others how much energy is spent managing impressions instead of doing meaningful work.

While the masks remain on, the genuine person departs, leaving us to wonder whether they were foolish or perhaps the only one who truly grasped reality!

Worth thinking about 🤔