Are You an ‘Innie’ at Work? A Wake-Up Call from Severance
What if you could leave your personal baggage at the door and become someone else at work? Sounds freeing… until it’s not.
Apple TV’s Severance offers a haunting look at the fantasy—and fallout—of trying to be one version of ourselves at work and another in life.
There are no spoilers in this post. Just a conversation I think we all need to have.
Key Takeaways
The Illusion of the “Work Self”: Severance illustrates the dangers of compartmentalizing our identities, highlighting the psychological toll of separating our professional and personal selves.
Emotional Disintegration in Leadership: High-achieving women often suppress their emotions to fit into leadership roles, leading to burnout and a loss of authentic self.
The Cost of Compartmentalization: Suppressing emotions doesn't enhance effectiveness; it diminishes humanity, connection, innovation, and ironically, confidence.
Gendered Expectations in Leadership: Women are conditioned to be "palatable" leaders, leading to over-functioning and adaptation at the expense of inner truth.
The Need for Integrated Leadership: True leadership requires embracing emotions, facing pain, and leading as whole humans, not personas.
The Illusion of the “Work Self”
In Severance, employees undergo a procedure that splits their consciousness, creating separate identities for work and personal life. This literal division serves as a metaphor for how many professionals compartmentalize their identities to navigate workplace expectations. Such separation can lead to a loss of authenticity and emotional disconnection.
Emotional Disintegration in Leadership
Women in leadership often feel compelled to suppress their emotions to be taken seriously. This suppression can lead to burnout, imposter syndrome, and a disconnection from one's true self. Authentic leadership requires acknowledging and integrating all aspects of oneself, including emotions.
The Cost of Compartmentalization
Attempting to separate personal and professional identities can result in a fragmented sense of self. This fragmentation hampers genuine connection, innovation, and confidence. Embracing one's full identity fosters a more authentic and effective leadership style.
Have you ever felt like your “work self” isn’t the real you?
What parts of yourself have you hidden to be taken seriously in the workplace?
I’d love to hear your story. Because you’re not alone—and you don’t have to lead like this forever.
Because the future of leadership?
Isn’t severed. It’s integrated.
Download the Leadership Workbook and start leading with clarity, confidence, and purpose.
Inside, you’ll uncover:
✔️ To Identify how your values shape your Leadership Tenets
✔️ Develop a strategy to communicate your values to your team
✔️ Practical strategies to lead with more authenticity and ease
The greatest leaders aren’t the ones who do it all alone—they’re the ones who invest in their growth so they can empower others. Let’s redefine leadership together.
