“Just be yourself.” It’s a popular mantra, but not necessarily good career advice.
In the article Why Authenticity at Work Will Derail Your Career, Hogan Assessments challenges the idea that authenticity is always beneficial. Drawing from research and insights shared in episode 125 of The Science of Personality podcast, Hogan's team explores how strategic self-awareness—not unfiltered authenticity—drives professional growth.
Authenticity ≠ effectiveness
Authenticity often refers to expressing one’s true self or emotions. But as Ryne Sherman, PhD, and Robert Hogan, PhD, explain, those “authentic” impulses aren’t always workplace-appropriate. Expressing raw frustration, unchecked opinions, or overly casual behaviour may feel genuine, but it rarely supports long-term success.
In fact, when people reported feeling most authentic and happy, it wasn’t when they were being most “themselves,” but rather when they were acting in socially desirable ways: collaborative, considerate, productive.
Three professional risks of unchecked authenticity
According to Hogan, being overly authentic at work can backfire in three key areas:-
Professionalism
Stress or complacency can lead to unfiltered behaviours. When people excuse unprofessional conduct with “That’s just who I am,” they often harm their credibility.
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Interpersonal conflict
Emotional outbursts or blunt opinions may feel honest, but they disrupt team trust and cohesion.
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Career progression
One coaching example described in the article shows how adopting more agreeable and collaborative behaviours (even when they didn’t come naturally) led to better reviews, a raise, and greater life satisfaction.
What to aim for instead: strategic self-awareness
Hogan promotes strategic self-awareness: understanding how your behaviours affect others and intentionally adjusting based on context. It’s not about being fake, it’s about aligning your actions with professional expectations.
“Think about how you want to be perceived,” says Ryne Sherman. “Adapt to those expectations in the environment that you’re in.”
This shift from “authenticity at all costs” to thoughtful self-management is key to leadership effectiveness.
How personality assessments help
When people are unaware of how they’re perceived, they’re more likely to derail their own development. Hogan’s assessment model helps uncover patterns that might otherwise remain hidden:
- HPI: the bright side—how you behave when you’re at your best
- HDS: the dark side—how you behave under stress or when you aren’t self-monitoring
- MVPI: the inside—the values and beliefs that motivate how you tend to behave
Understanding your dark-side tendencies, and learning to manage them, can significantly improve your reputation and relationships at work.
Bottom line: Being “yourself” is less effective than being your best self, especially in high-stakes professional contexts. Development begins with insight, but progress comes from adjustment.
Read the full article by Hogan Assessments
Summary based on the article “Why Authenticity at Work Will Derail Your Career,” published by Hogan Assessments.