Authenticity: It Matters

https://exploreb2b.com/articles/the-need-to-be-authentic-in-your-companys-storytelling

Love this piece, as it talks about the need to be authentic. Some of the best people I have worked for are the ones who know themselves the best--those who are not afraid to paint a living room brilliant red, who have stained glass projects in the office, and who...well, some authenticity does not need to be shared.

But, how do you find the line between professional and authentic? If you are a Bohemian who loves to go without shoes, should you allow your whole offices to set their piggies free in the summer? Maybe, but you run the risk of running off a less Bohemian clientele.

Authenticity takes time. You cannot be authentic if you don't know who you are, and few 20-somethings do. Authenticity takes confidence. In the beginning, we are all chameleons, seeking to blend and create the least friction, because we think that will win us clients and friends. Sometimes authentic people are broke, but they're usually okay with that--they're on to their next dream. When a chameleon is broke, he doesn't know who he is.

Authenticity is a risk, but I firmly believe it is a risk worth taking, whether it is your company or yourself you're pitching.

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