How many times have you heard the word “authenticity” in the last seven days? If you are online or went to any of the social media/tech conferences last week, I bet you heard it a bunch. The messages “be yourself”and “be authentic” are the mantras, of social media evangelists. It is the 2.0 way of doing business. One of my social media heroes, Chris Brogan, spreads this message everywhere he goes. I’ve written posts about it too.
What I don’t hear a lot about is honesty.
People don’t like to talk about honesty.
Honesty implies moral and spiritual absolutes.
It’s easier to say “Be authentic” than “Be honest.”
You can be a fun-loving, crazy, creative person and put that out to the world. You may decide to make that your personal brand and make sure that everything you do authentically reflects that part of who you are. But that doesn’t mean that you are honest.
You can be authentic and not be honest.
You can be authentic and not be honest with yourself about:
- Your strengths
- Your fears
- Your present
- Your past
- Your need to change
Is it possible that “authentic” is what we are with others and “honest” is what we are with ourselves?
Does honesty even matter anymore?
Photo Courtesy of: √oхέƒx™
One of my favorite social media words is “authenticity.” It strikes a nerve with me because in my corporate jobs, I was not allowed to be the authentic, caring, relentlessly positive person that I am. My companies and my bosses wanted to stuff me into a cookie cutter mold and bake the personality right out of me. I was miserable for a long time. Since I’ve been on my own, running Sanera, I have had the freedom to be who I am, my authentic self and it has brought me joy and peace I haven’t had since elementary school.
Authenticity is huge in social media. “Be yourself” is the mantra, of social media evangelists. It is the 2.0 way of doing business. One of my social media heroes, Chris Brogan, spreads this message everywhere he goes. I’ve written posts about it too.
What I don’t hear a lot about is honesty.
People don’t like to talk about honesty.
Honesty implies moral and spiritual absolutes.
It’s easier to say “Be authentic” than “Be honest.”
You can be a fun-loving, crazy, creative person and put that out to the world. You may decide to make that your personal brand and make sure that everything you do reflects that part of who you are. But that doesn’t mean that you are honest.
You can be authentic and not be honest.
You can be authentic and not be honest with yourself about:
· Your strengths
· Your fears
· Your present
· Your past
· Your need to change
Is it possible that authentic is what we are with others and honest is what we are with ourselves?
Does honesty even matter anymore?
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Alicia! Happy Monday as well. Personally and professionally, you can’t be authentic without being honest; being authentic implies honesty. The two skip hand in hand down the street on a warm sunny day singing songs that elevate.
Being authentically honest is the only way we learn to help ourselves and others. You gotta be straight.
Kevin – I like what you said, “being authentic implies honesty.” I’m curious. If authenticity and honesty work together, does that mean they different from each other?
Ben – I’m with you. I have problems with people who are cruel and people who don’t tell the truth.
Debbie – “Authentic relationships are based on honest.” I agree!
Alicia, I value honesty above all else. I know from my interactions with you that you’re an honest person, and I don’t give a flying rat’s patoot if you’re “authentic” or whatever. If I decide to hire you, it’s because you sold me on your honesty and expertise. Too much wordplay. Not enough honesty.
I feel honesty is a foundation for authenticity. I think you cannot be authentic in my book if you are not honest with yourself and others. Authentic relationships are based on honesty- at some point that foundation leads to trust. Interesting post.
Thanks Alicia – you shed light on an important theme!
True = authority + authenticity are trendy 2.0 buzzwords. It’s difficult to discover genuine success + happiness without engaging honesty (not a trendy word perhaps) at a core level. Building authentic trust in your relationships is a worthy endeavor. You get what you give? Let’s create a free market (without regulation) for trust. I’m sold.
I must not resist
This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.
William Shakespeare (1564-1616) English dramatist, playwright & poet.
Meghan – “Let’s create a free market (without regulation) for trust.” I could not have said it any better!