Being Yourself: How Much is Too Much? | INSEAD Knowledge: Reasons why being yourself is flawed
Let’s look at the research.� For instance, take people who are high on self-monitoring, a personality preference defined as ‘active construction of public selves to achieve social ends’.� A highly cited study by Ajay Mehra, Martin Kilduff and Daniel Brass, found that “chameleon-like high self-monitors” were more likely than true-to-themselves “low self-monitors” to occupy central positions in social networks, which affords them greater levels of social capital and influence.� Together these characteristics predict individual workplace performance.�
There is also considerable evidence to suggest that people who present themselves as warm and competent are more likely to be liked and conferred higher levels of social status.� Furthermore, those who act with higher levels of confidence are given greater credence in the eyes of others.�
Thus, it appears that just being yourself has some distinct drawbacks. In fact, naive authenticity may do more harm than good. It presumes you know who you are; it puts the focus on the intrapersonal rather than the contextual interaction; it seems to set up you up for a narcissistic injury.
Let’s look at the research.� For instance, take people who are high on self-monitoring, a personality preference defined as ‘active construction of public selves to achieve social ends’.� A highly cited study by Ajay Mehra, Martin Kilduff and Daniel Brass, found that “chameleon-like high self-monitors” were more likely than true-to-themselves “low self-monitors” to occupy central positions in social networks, which affords them greater levels of social capital and influence.� Together these characteristics predict individual workplace performance.�
There is also considerable evidence to suggest that people who present themselves as warm and competent are more likely to be liked and conferred higher levels of social status.� Furthermore, those who act with higher levels of confidence are given greater credence in the eyes of others.�
Thus, it appears that just being yourself has some distinct drawbacks. In fact, naive authenticity may do more harm than good. It presumes you know who you are; it puts the focus on the intrapersonal rather than the contextual interaction; it seems to set up you up for a narcissistic injury.