Lost In A Professional Masquerade

I love music from the 70’s ! You have hits like Don’t Stop t’ll You Get Enough , Dancing Queen , Best of My Love and the iconic Lean On Me . Nested in the mix of smooth harmonies and melodies is the radiant voice of George Benson . I often listen to the George Benson Essentials Playlist on Apple Music when I travel long distances . One of my favorite songs from this musical genius is the song , Masquerade . The lyrics are prolific and force us to reflect on the relationships in our lives .

One line that struck me profoundly this week is the phrase “ we’re lost in the masquerade”. A masquerade is defined as a false show or pretense. While I could unpack this phenomenon as it pertains to our personal life , I want to explore how we become lost in a professional masquerade . Honestly speaking we are groomed to play pretend in professional settings from a young age . We were told that our “business” self is fundamental different than our “professional” self and that we should not blend the two . Additionally the generation before us modeled the behavior of defining yourself by your occupation . The reality is, we are singular beings with a multiplicity of functions that fall under the broader categories of professional and personal .

The masquerade feels normal until there is a situation or stimulus that prompts us to “ keep it real” . In these “keep it real” moments we respond from our true selves . The last 16 months has prompted us to think about workplace wellbeing in ways we have honestly neglected for a generation . I encourage you to not get lost in the professional masquerade because after a while it will become hard to remove the mask .