To be Ethical or Authentic: The Challenge of Staying True to Yourself at Work – Dec. 2024

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Ethics, authenticity, and transparency are now core values in business, yet practising them often creates intricate dilemmas. Although interconnected, these concepts hold distinct meanings. Ethics is rooted in moral values like integrity, promoting honesty, openness, and accountability while avoiding deceit or manipulation. On the other hand, authenticity encourages staying true to oneself, communicating transparently and sincerely, and acting in harmony with personal values. These principles complement one another: aligning actions with values fosters ethical behaviour. However, tensions emerge when an organisation’s ethical expectations conflict with an individual’s personality or principles. How can professionals navigate these contradictions?

Transparency: a virtue, but with boundaries

Transparency fosters trust and strengthens commitment, making it a cornerstone of ethical authenticity. Business involves open communication among employees, customers, and partners. It also includes providing access to relevant information and encouraging thoughtful involvement in decision-making. However, challenges arise in striking a balance between transparency and confidentiality. For instance, a culture of openness often demands the sharing of professional and personal information. While some individuals willingly engage, others hesitate, driven by caution, modesty, or introversion. Is this reluctance unethical?

Professional transparency entails sharing information relevant to the organisation’s operations—such as objectives, results, or significant decisions—while respecting confidentiality. Ethics does not demand indiscretion. Maintaining privacy is vital. Although sharing personal details can foster workplace collaboration and social connection, it doesn’t guarantee transparency. In some cases, such sharing becomes performative, encouraging professionals to present curated personas to humanise their roles. This practice can paradoxically undermine ethical authenticity.

Authenticity in the workplace: balancing role and identity

Every professional occupies a role—a set of expected behaviours essential for the organisation’s smooth functioning. At times, this role clashes with an individual’s personality and intrinsic values. Organisations often expect conformity, requiring members to align with shared ethical principles or adopt standard communication styles. This expectation can conflict with personal interpretations of authenticity. While valued as a virtue, authenticity risks being seen as self-centred if expressed too assertively or without regard for collective norms. The challenge lies in achieving balance—aligning personal values with organisational expectations to meet professional goals without compromising integrity.

In conclusion, Ethics revolves around aligning stated values with actions, while ethical authenticity demands flexibility and adaptation. Companies must create environments where transparency and confidentiality coexist harmoniously and authenticity is encouraged. Initiatives like workshops and discussions on values can nurture this culture. As a researcher and management lecturer at EMD Business School, I firmly believe that guiding managers in this journey strengthens fair and sustainable organisations.

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