Six Lessons About Authenticity in the Workplace We Can Learn From a Child Rejecting a Filter

When a child looks into a playful selfie filter and says, “I don’t like this at all,” we laugh, but the insight is striking.

Even at a young age, we instinctively recognize when an image does not feel real. In professional life, filters are everywhere: in résumés, LinkedIn profiles, team communication, or organizational culture. While polish and presentation matter, there is a fine line between enhancement and distortion. Below are six lessons this moment can teach us about authenticity at work.

AI Generated

1. People Detect Inauthenticity Quickly

Just like the child who instantly noticed the filter, recruiters, colleagues, and leaders can sense when something feels “off.” Research shows that authenticity fosters trust, while inauthentic self-presentation leads to skepticism and reduced relational quality (Gino, Kouchaki, & Galinsky, 2015).

Practical Takeaway: Avoid jargon-filled résumés or rehearsed interview answers that don’t reflect who you are. Instead, highlight genuine achievements and values.

2. Over-Filtering Can Backfire

Social media filters can make people laugh, but rarely make them trust. The same applies to professional branding. Overly polished profiles that hide weaknesses may generate attention but fail to build credibility.

Practical Takeaway: Strike a balance - refine your narrative but avoid erasing your human side. Vulnerability, when framed constructively, can be a professional strength (Brown, 2012).

3. Authenticity Drives Engagement and Belonging

Studies on organizational behavior emphasize that employees who feel they can “bring their whole selves to work” report higher engagement, job satisfaction, and performance (Cable, Gino, & Staats, 2013). A “filtered” workplace culture, where people suppress their identities, erodes trust and inclusion.

Practical Takeaway: Foster open dialogue and diversity by creating spaces where employees can share not only polished outcomes but also challenges and lessons learned.

4. Authentic Leaders Build Stronger Teams

Leadership research highlights that authenticity in leaders increases employee commitment and psychological safety (Walumbwa et al., 2008). Just as a child rejects a distorted image, teams disengage when leaders present a curated persona instead of their genuine selves.

Practical Takeaway: Leaders should model honesty, admit mistakes, and connect values with actions. These signals show employees that authenticity is not just encouraged—it is expected.

5. Filters Hide Potential Growth

A filter covers imperfections, but imperfections often point to opportunities for growth. Overly curated personal brands risk overlooking developmental areas that could lead to improvement. Self-awareness and willingness to evolve are more valuable than an image of perfection.

Practical Takeaway: Use feedback as a mirror, not a filter. Ask colleagues or mentors what strengths they see - and where growth is possible.

6. Authenticity Creates Long-Term Value

In recruitment and career development, inauthentic portrayals may open doors in the short term but tend to close them later. Conversely, authenticity builds sustainable relationships with employers and peers, aligning personal and organizational values (Kernis & Goldman, 2006).

Practical Takeaway: Focus on roles, teams, and organizations that align with your genuine strengths and values. When there is alignment, authenticity stops being an effort and becomes natural.

Conclusion

The child who declared, “I don’t like this at all,” reminds us of a universal truth: people prefer the unfiltered version of reality. In professional life, authenticity is not the absence of preparation—it is the alignment between who you are and how you present yourself. In a world saturated with filters, the real advantage lies in showing up as yourself.

References

• Brown, B. (2012). Daring greatly: How the courage to be vulnerable transforms the way we live, love, parent, and lead. Gotham Books.

• Cable, D. M., Gino, F., & Staats, B. R. (2013). Breaking them in or eliciting their best? Reframing socialization around newcomers’ authentic self-expression. Administrative Science Quarterly, 58(1), 1–36. https://doi.org/10.1177/0001839213477098

• Gino, F., Kouchaki, M., & Galinsky, A. D. (2015). The moral virtue of authenticity: How inauthenticity produces feelings of immorality and impurity. Psychological Science, 26(7), 983–996. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797615575277

• Kernis, M. H., & Goldman, B. M. (2006). A multicomponent conceptualization of authenticity: Theory and research. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 38, 283–357. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(06)38006-9

• Walumbwa, F. O., Avolio, B. J., Gardner, W. L., Wernsing, T. S., & Peterson, S. J. (2008). Authentic leadership: Development and validation of a theory-based measure. Journal of Management, 34(1), 89–126. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206307308913