If You Can’t Be Your Full Self at Work, That’s a Red Flag

Not everyone wants their job to be their everything. Fair enough — for some people, work is just what you do to fund the life you actually care about. You don’t need to swallow the company values whole or be obsessed with whatever’s in the corporate strategy.

But here’s the thing: you’re still spending 40+ hours a week there. That’s a huge chunk of your life. If there’s no spark in it — no connection to the people, no feeling that what you do makes a difference to someone — you’re ignoring that at your own peril.

For me, the way I show up is the way I am. I work in corporate, and the “standard” expectation is very Stepford: tailored suit, perfect hair, buzzwords for days, presentations rehearsed to within an inch of their life.

That’s… not me.

I’m professional, absolutely. But I prefer plain, human language over jargon. I’ve got my own style (bright colours, purple hair — why not?). And I’m the one who’ll bring teams together through a bit of humour, even if it means looking a little daft in the process.

And honestly? That’s part of my value. I help people feel safe and comfortable so they can actually be themselves too.

Some of my more “unconventional” corporate moments include:

• Filming a workout video for an internal brain health event

• Dancing and belting out Lady Gaga at a work dinner

• Producing two heart-warming Christmas videos that brought the team together

• Creating a values video where everyone shared their mission, so our under-the-radar team finally got some visibility

Those weren’t just bits of fun — they built culture, trust and connection. They made people actually want to work together.

If a company expects you to hide that side of yourself, the real, quirky, creative, colourful bits, that’s a red flag.

If you can’t bring your full self to work without feeling on edge, then you’ve got to ask yourself:

Is this really the right place for me?