If The Shoe Fits: Authentic Selves
by Miki Saxon
A Friday series exploring Startups and the people who make them go. Read all If the Shoe Fits posts here.
Last Friday we looked at how culture is based on values and how often the values claimed aren’t, in fact, authentic.
Values are one thing, but the whole authentic idea is overblown.
How many times have you heard “bring your authentic self to work (or wherever).
If you’re like most people you have multiple authentic selves.
Think about it, the self you show your spouse is different than the self you show your boss and both are different from the self your friends know.
Yet they are all authentic.
Meaning each self adheres to the same values.
For example, if one self is married and another self has a lover both selves are authentic, since their basic value system accepts cheating.
Look around, not just at the people you’re close to or see frequently, but at the names you see in the news.
Compare what they say/do in various situations and you’ll find you can figure out very quickly what their real authentic values are.
Image credit: HikingArtist