How can I get ahead and still be me?

Career advancement without losing your soul

“Can I get promoted and still be me?” Being a keynote speaker and leadership coach, I hear numerous versions of that. People ask how they can retain their identity while they are endeavoring to get ahead. Do they have to adopt the company culture’s “successful” look, presentation style and personality? The answer is no, and a qualified yes.

Are you fitting yourself into a box? Is this allowing you to perform your best?

When you are authentically and fully you, you can contribute your best, but there are caveats. Decades ago, the first week after I joined Nike as VP of Apparel & Accessories, from managing a division of a 350 stores retail chain, I was casually invited to join them at the Beer Relays that weekend. Not knowing anything about the event, and not a fan of beer relay races, I declined. That decision caused me to lose a priceless opportunity. The beer relays turned out to be a key event for Nike, and an important bonding time for the organization. I missed out on an immersive experience to learn about the culture, the personalities, and to mingle with the many people who will become key colleagues. All because I decided to just “be me” before finding out more what the event was about.