“Be Yourself” Is Bad Advice

When you are in a place where perception matters, act as if you are always under observation. Especially in organisations or environments where an opinion can shape your future, it is important to influence that opinion through deliberate mannerisms. “Be yourself” is poor advice because, for those who are often misunderstood in initial impressions, it can backfire in ways that harm them. You cannot be yourself in every context and every environment. Besides, what if you are mediocre? Assuming you are not, it is still better to be cautious before you reveal your true shade of personality. Assuming you are always under observation, always being noticed, how would you behave? What are the things you wouldn’t do? What are the things you would do? How would you react in different situations? I am saying this because that is what happens in most corporate offices. You have no idea who is observing you or at what point in the day. You cannot keep track of it, so assume that when you are in…