Poker Face

We show different sides of our persona (or personality) at work and at home.

When I reflect back at a previous company that I worked for, in HR, my persona was to be open and friendly.  My immediate work group was good because we talked about our personal lives with each other.  I was happy where I worked because I was being myself.   

In everything there is a yin and yang.  I was maybe too happy where I worked.  By the time I got home from work, I was exhausted from working voluntary overtime.  I brought work home with me to do on the weekends.  I didn’t see the importance of networking outside the company nor making friendships outside of work.  

Things change when you’re a job seeker.  You no longer have a place to go to every day, but you do have time to reflect.  I see now the importance of networking (both inside and outside of a company) and the importance of making friendships.    

For me a company that supports a positive workplace culture resonates with me.  I’ve seen company web sites that say that they encourage employees to bring all of themselves to work.  I think this is a great idea!  We would be much happier (and perhaps more productive) if we could bring all of ourselves to work.  “Bringing all of ourselves to work” has multiple meanings – it could mean sharing things with our colleagues like our personal interests, our family relationships, or things that are causing us anxiety or depression, etc. 

When companies offer social events at their companies, these are not frivolous activities, because it is at these events that we can learn more about our colleagues and develop camaraderie.  When we get to know someone, this opens up a greater possibility to collaborate in the future.  We are more likely to want to share things with someone we know rather than with someone we don’t know.  On a personal level, when I talk to friends, I would like to know what’s going on with them, because maybe I can offer an anecdote or advice or I could just be there to listen.   On a later date, I’d follow-up to ask how something that they talked about turned out.  I like to form personal connections both at work and outside of work.   

  

I read a terrific article by Ash Read called “What I Learned When I Tried Being Authentic At Work.”  Mr. Read talks about how many of us check our “real” selves at the door when we go to work or when we go home.   I relate to his thoughts on vulnerability and reflection.   Writing about what I think seems risky and it makes me feel vulnerable.  But I think if you want to project your brand, you have to take the plunge and make yourself vulnerable.  As a job seeker, I’ve had time to reflect and I reflect on things before I actually write a post.

I love the song “Poker Face” (with a nod to Lady Gaga), but in terms of our work and home lives, maybe we need to have less of of a poker face and bring our best and real selves to work and at home.