Episode 68. Being Your Authentic Self in the Workplace… An Honest Conversation
“Authentic self-expression is how we embrace who we are, all the way from the positive traits and acts we keep on the surface to the darker and less valued pieces of ourselves that we bury deep down.” 1
But what does authentic self-expression mean to your team? Does it mean that y’all can drop the “customer service voice,” not have to be “on” all the time, dress how you want by having colored hair, tattoo’s and piercings, and can speak openly and free? For many this is a dream workplace. Perhaps you can relate to this, perhaps not but we have to wonder as Millennials accept leadership and Gen Z are entering the workforce whether there is going to be a shift in the workforce (traditional or virtual) allowing team members to freely be themselves. Or will things continue to be status quo, causing you to create a company full of team members in masks (and I don’t mean N95s)... that has no bearing on engagement or productivity?
INTRODUCING: EVELYN GILLIARD (SHE/HER)
Evelyn Gilliard is the Team Dynamics Associate Consultant for Tianna Tye Co. (Yay, promotion!) and is also on the Social Media and Marketing Committee for Blacks in IO Psych. She received her Associate from the State College of Florida, her Bachelors’s in Psychology from the University of South Florida (USF) and is about to be graduating again with her Master’s in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Capella University. She is a member of the PSY-CHI Society, the National Society of Leadership and Success, and the Society of Industrial-Organizational Psychology.
Evelyn is an Enneagram Type 3; in other words, she’s an overachiever who often wants her hand in all of the cookie jars, but anyone who has met her could have told you that. She is passionate about team dynamics, diversity and inclusion, being your most authentic self in the workplace, and learning as much as possible as you propel yourself to success. Her motto on her graduation cap from USF was “Do what you gotta do!” and that is something that she still holds true to her heart today. She’s always going to do what needs to be done to get the job done. When she’s not working with Tianna or Blacks in IO Psych, you can often find her at home relaxing with a Margarita in hand, binge-watching a show or anime with her boyfriend David, their three cats, and puppy Mrycella, or at the beach.
IN THIS EPISODE SHE’S SHARING:
Her experience supporting corporations and small businesses
The job where she was most authentically herself
How you can build a company that supports authentic expression
The challenges of virtual authenticity
CONNECT WITH EVELYN:
Instagram: @gilliardiopsych
LinkedIn: Evelyn Gilliard
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