Human psychology is fascinating, and I have a front-row seat to the behavior of people intent on either ascending the corporate hierarchy or preserving their current place of perceived importance in the workforce.

And it’s a lot like singing in the shower. We all do it, and I freely admit that Natasha Bedingfield’s Unwritten is my go-to when I need a physical and emotional cleanse. But in Corporate America, you would only dare admit to Shower Serenades privately…and you certainly wouldn’t confess this using your work email account. After all, you have an image to uphold, and your hashtag MyCompany wouldn’t want people to know you’re actually a fun person. And after a while, we regularly discover people that, when asked their favorite color, first contact the Compliance Officer before answering the question.

Being a mindless marionette and an unauthentic automaton might garner you a Puppet Promotion. But your friendships will be fraudulent, destined to crumble on a faulty foundation of phoniness.

But YOU are a rockstar. YOU were hired because in that interview, all those rehearsals (perhaps even done in the shower) came to fruition as you told the story that only you can tell. Don’t sing a sycophantic song just because you think Senior Leadership likes it…but if it’s your jam, too, belt it out. Let your personality shine. Always act with integrity. Do your best to help your colleagues be the best they can be. Be grateful for your job. But remember, it’s ok to still have original thoughts…don’t let someone else write your masterpiece

Mark 8:36