The difference between genuine authenticity and performed authenticity means everything

Authenticity is currency.

You can spend it recklessly and go broke, or invest it strategically and build wealth. Most leaders are choosing bankruptcy without even realizing it.

Right now, workplaces are debating authenticity. Some call “bring your whole self to work” a dangerous myth that punishes marginalized employees. Others claim it’s the secret to engagement and retention.

Both are right—and both are missing something.

Unfiltered authenticity without skill can be destructive. And yes, marginalized employees pay a higher price when they try to be authentic in systems that weren’t built for them.

But your team already knows when you’re faking it. That difference between genuine authenticity and performed authenticity determines everything—trust, safety, retention, innovation.

Thin