Throughout our careers, we are taught to conform to the status quo, to the opinions and behaviors of others, and to information that supports our views. In fact, research I conducted with Maryam Kouchaki, of Northwestern University, and Adam Galinsky, of Columbia University, showed that when people feel inauthentic at work, its usually because they have succumbed to social pressure to conform.
Key Takeaways:
- Throughout our careers, we are taught to conform-to the status quo.
- The pressure only grows when we start to climb the organized ladder.
- By the time we reach high-level positions, conformity has been so hammered into us that we perpetuate it into enterprises.
“But to be successful and evolve, organizations need to strike a balance between adherence to the formal and informal rules that provide necessary structure and the freedom that helps employees do their best work.”
