Authenticity on One's Own Terms

2019-20 Positive Links Speaker Series: Patricia Faison Hewlin
On December 12, 2019, Patricia Faison Hewlin will present “Authenticity on One’s Own Terms.”
The exhortation to be true to oneself is often intended to empower, but it can actually promote apprehension because instructions are rarely provided. Thus, many shy away from what is true to self, take on inauthentic behaviors to fit into their work environments, or at worst, turn to harsh transparency, alienating those around them. In this session, Hewlin will share how people can be authentic “on their own terms” by identifying their thresholds of authenticity as well as personal values that can be integrated into the workplace to: increase work engagement, foster positive relationships, and enhance overall personal well-being.
Patricia Faison Hewlin is the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs, and Associate Professor in the Desautels Faculty of Management at McGill University. She is also a visiting professor at Southwestern University of Finance and Economics in Chengdu, China. Prior to joining academia, she was a Vice President for Citi, where she managed financial centers in New York City.
Hewlin conducts research on how organization members and leaders engage in authentic expression, as well as factors that impede authenticity in the workplace. Her research has primarily centered on employee silence, and the degree to which members suppress personal values and pretend to embrace organizational values, a behavior she terms as “creating facades of conformity.” Her most recent research explores authenticity from a cross-cultural perspective, and how organizations, particularly leaders can leverage diverse and divergent authentic self-expressions among followers, while promoting positive work interactions and productivity.
Hewlin is published in several academic journals including Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Organization Science, Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, and Journal of Chinese Management. She has also contributed to the Globe and Mail, Huffington Post, Getting Smart, and Harvard Business Review.
On a personal note, Hewlin enjoys traveling, solving puzzles, and quiet moments with her family.
The Positive Links Speaker Series, presented by Michigan Ross’ Center for Positive Organizations, offers inspiring and practical research-based strategies for building organizations that are high performing and bring out the best in its people. Attendees learn from leading positive organizational scholars and connect with our community of academics, students, staff, and leaders.
Host: Jane Dutton, co-founder of the Center for Positive Organizations; Robert L. Kahn Distinguished University Professor Emerita of Business Administration and Psychology
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[@hbergman1237]

I love this presentation! So many points I could fill in examples on from real life. Thank you for making an elaborate topic, very digestible and interesting. Surely helps that you kick butt with presenting it. Very refreshing style!

[@djdrisco123]

I think its easy to wax poetic on the importance of authenticity, however, dealing with issues where divergent authenticities collide in the workplace sure seems one-sided these days.
This quickly applies a "right" and "wrong" definition to ones authenticity. In other words, as long as your authenticity reflects the pushed social norm of the hour, you are fine, if not, you are a problem. This, in turn, crushes the notion of authenticity in the workplace for just about everyone, except for the loudest and most likely to be offended. Shame.