Episode Title:
Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/can-you-really-be-your-authentic-self-at-work-
Episode Video Link:
In this BEP Live audio episode of A Black Executive Perspective, Chris P. Reed leads a powerful conversation with Felicia Smith and Obrin Bills about authenticity, code switching, workplace equity, and the real cost of navigating Corporate America as a Black professional.
The episode examines what it really means to bring your authentic self to work, why professionalism is often judged differently across race and gender, and how Black professionals, women of color, and corporate leaders manage appearance, tone, behavior, ambition, and visibility inside workplace systems that were not always built with them in mind.
What you will learn
The difference between authenticity, professionalism, and oversharing
Why code switching is often a survival strategy, not a personality flaw
How workplace bias shows up in promotions, team building, appearance, and leadership perception
Why honest dialogue is necessary for workplace equity and corporate accountability
00:00, Welcome to BEP Live
03:25, Is It Profitable to Be Phony at Work?
06:35, Authenticity Versus Oversharing
10:00, Code Switching and Workplace Survival
14:15, Double Standards in Corporate Behavior
19:15, Connection, Promotion, and Office Politics
24:05, Dressing for the Interview and the Role
29:30, Hair, Beards, the CROWN Act, and Bias
35:20, When Skinfolk Are Not Kinfolk at Work
41:00, Success, Nice Things, and Workplace Judgment
45:00, Building Diverse Teams Without Apology
50:10, We Wear the Mask
53:30, The Cost of Calibration
56:00, Final Reflections and L.E.S.S. Call to Action
L.E.S.S. Call to Action
Embrace L.E.S.S to eliminate all forms of discrimination. Learn: Educate yourself in cultural and racial realities. Empathy: Understand and respect different lived experiences. Share: Share your knowledge and your story to uplift others. Stop: Stop discrimination when you see it.
Links and resources mentioned in this episode:
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This episode was produced by TonyTidbit ™ . Copyright © 2024 A BLACK EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this podcast may be reproduced without prior written permission. For permissions, email podcast@ablackexec.com .
