Thought Sparks Rethinking Authenticity with Rita McGrath and Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic
In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, welcomes Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, professor of business psychology at University College London and an adjunct professor at Columbia University, and the author of Don't Be Yourself: Why Authenticity Is Overrated (and What to Do Instead).
00:00 Introductions
01:06 Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders?
02:54"Don't Be Yourself”: Why This Book, Now
05:21 Authenticity Versus Leadership, and Being the Leader the Situation Calls For
06:59 The Visibility of Authenticity
09:18 Power and Self Censorship from Jeff Pfeffer
11:04: The Four Mantras of Authenticity
11:30: Mantra 1: “Honesty”
14:18 Mantra 2: “Don’t Worry About What People Think”
15:45 Skill Building and Self Awareness, from Matt Beane
18:27 Mantra 3: “Always be True to Your Values”
21:42 The Overton Window and How Norms Shift
24:03: Herminia Ibarra’s Critique of the Authenticity Paradox
26:44 Mantra 4: “Bring Your Whole Self to Work”
27:57 Diversity and Belonging at Work
30:22 How Employee Engagement Fits Into the Authenticity Picture
32:27 How DEI Interventions Utilize Authenticity
34:36 The Return to Office: Why Senior Leadership Might Prefer In-Person Work
35:38: Chip Conley’s Learning to Love Midlife
36:37: Tech Bros, Solopreneurs, and Authenticity to an Extreme
38:27 Practical Alternatives: Your Right For Self Expression Versus Your Obligation to Others
41:22 The Self Complexity Framework and Office Politics
44:41 How to Interview: Honesty versus Employability
48:32 Gen Z: Developing Grit and Learning from Feedback
55:28 AI Paranoia and Adaptation
58:42: Gen AI as “Intellectual Fast Food”
Thought Sparks are the brainchild of Rita McGrath. They are insightful actions, strategic ideas, actionable suggestions and innovative approaches that help organizations and leaders master the future with less fear and more confidence.
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