Leave part of you at home, please!

Leadership expert and author Mike Robbins is credited with starting a movement called “bring your whole self to work.” The idea is that workers will be happier and more productive if they feel comfortable bringing their authentic self to their job.

In a 2018 interview about the concept with Forbes, Robbins says, “Bringing our whole selves to work means … having the courage to take risks, speak up, ask for help, connect with others in a genuine way, and allow ourselves to be truly seen.”

The idea is rooted in diversity, equity and inclusion, and taken in that light, it’s a good one. Marginalized people have historically felt they had to assume a persona to succeed in the workplace. They had to act whiter, straighter, more manly, more neurotypical.

I never want to go back to those days. I love the diverse perspectives and personalities in my workplace. I’ve learned from co-workers about their culture and I advocate for diversity in my workplace as a long-standing member of the Diversity, Development & Inclusion Committee.

But taken out of that context, bringing your entire self to work is a bad idea. Whatever personal gain is accomplished by being the “real you” can frustrate team cohesion and thwart group productivity.

Here’s an example.

My co-worker *Elizabeth, a graphic designer, has a big personality and regularly commands the room. She can talk without seemingly stopping to breathe. She interrupts others, as she…