Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic | Breaking the Four Authenticity Traps

Psychologist, author, and innovator Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic joins Al Adamsen to rethink what “authenticity” really means at work. Drawing on his new book Don’t Be Yourself: Why Authenticity Is Overrated (and What to Do Instead), Tomas unpacks the Four Authenticity Traps, why “bring your whole self to work” can backfire, and how to lead with self-awareness, situational awareness, and integrity. We also explore inclusion, identity, and how to give and receive feedback in ways that build trust rather than erode it.

What You’ll Learn

• The Four Authenticity Traps, and why well-meant advice (e.g., “always be honest,” “don’t worry what others think,” “follow your values,” “bring your whole self to work”) can create new problems
• Why authenticity is an attribution (how others experience you) and how EQ/strategic self-presentation builds trust and psychological safety
• The role of boundaries, self-control, and situational awareness in modern leadership
• How to avoid oversharing, process feedback like an adult, and use multi-source input (360s) to see your “reputation mosaic”
• Practical ways to “go against your nature” (learned behaviors > fixed traits) to become your future, better self

Episode Chapters (selected)

• 0:00 — Welcome + why authenticity needs nuance
• 1:15 — The origin of the book + when “being yourself” goes wrong
• 3:26 — From Aristotle to Amy Edmondson: how we got here
• 4:47 — Limits of “whole self at work” and the case for a professional self
• 6:38 — What research actually measures as “authenticity”
• 8:57 — Trust, safety, and why others decide if you’re authentic
• 12:32 — Authenticity as privilege; power, status, and role-flexing
• 14:40 — Self-complexity and expressing the relevant parts of you
• 15:26 — Oversharing, boundaries, and learning from regret
• 19:30 — The Four Traps in detail (honesty, caring what others think, values, whole self)
• 23:48 — Aim for the better future self, not a fixed past self
• 28:00 — Growth mindset vs. the painful reality of change
• 31:16 — Coaching works best on the people who “need it least”
• 32:51 — “Going against your nature” as a leadership skill
• 40:59 — Replace authenticity debates with integrity + trustworthy behavior
• 44:10 — Feedback that helps (and why most of it doesn’t)

Resources & Links

• Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic → https://drtomas.com
• Adaptive Futures → https://adaptivefutures.io

Your Next Move
If this was useful, please follow/subscribe and share it with a colleague. Explore transcripts, resources, courses, and community at Adaptive Futures.

Credits
Music: Ambient Background Music (Loop Version) via Adobe Stock
Edited by Cash Adamsen