Marc Andreessen doesn’t want to see anyone’s ‘whole self’ at work: ‘Act like a professional and a grownup’
Silicon Valley veteran Marc Andreessen has some pretty brutal advice for staffers who want to bring their “full self” to work: Don’t.
The notion of bringing one’s “full” or “whole” self to the office states that employees should be able to be honest and vulnerable in a professional setting, offer a difference of opinion, and not be nervous about the ramifications.
Everything from books to TED talks have focussed on the idea, which became particularly prominent during the pandemic when staff grappled to balance their personal and professional life while working from home.
But for billionaire investor Andreessen, it’s time to reintroduce more traditional boundaries between the office and home.
On X a user wrote: “One of the worst pieces of advice I’ve ever received was to ‘always bring your full self,’ no matter the context.”
Andreessen—reportedly worth almost $2 billion per Forbes—reposted the comment, adding: “The one thing you should never, ever, ever do is bring your full self.
“Leave your full self at home where it belongs and act like a professional and a grown-up at work and in public.”
The one thing you should never, ever, ever do is bring your full self. Leave your full self at home where it belongs and act like a professional and a grownup at work and in public. 🎯 https://t.co/eRU7NC0YNc
— Marc Andreessen 🇺🇸 (@pmarca) November 24, 2024
Crackdown on workplace behavior
It comes as a number of workplaces have come down hard on staffers they feel aren’t acting professionally.
At Meta, for example, staffers were reportedly blurring the lines between work perks and convenience in their day-to-day lives.
Last month, the Mark Zuckerberg-founded company reportedly fired a handful of staffers who had been abusing the company’s $25 meal stipend, spending the money on nonfood items or having meals delivered to their homes.
A matter of weeks later EY reportedly dismissed a number of U.S. staffers after they were discovered to have attended two training sessions at the same time.
The employees at the Big Four firm were taking part in internal learning courses, which must be undertaken to gain a mandatory number of professional credits.
The staffers reportedly claimed they were attending double sessions so they didn’t miss out on sessions, as opposed to attending two to gain the points more quickly.
How much to bring to work
Bringing your authentic self—opinions and all—to the office can present a managerial minefield, particularly at a time of high political and geopolitical tensions.
While forming social relationships in the workplace can help productivity and increase employees’ enjoyment of it, trading political opinions can counter those effects.
For example, a study by Owl Labs released earlier this year found that 45% of U.S. employees would avoid the office because of political opinions expressed by their colleagues or their employer.
Experts, therefore, encourage staff to strike a balance between human connection and overly sharing.
In 2021, during the height of the pandemic, communications expert Susan McPherson wrote in The Harvard Business Review: “Showing up as your “authentic” self is the baseline to building meaningful relationships at work, but it also requires time and intent. The best tool you have here is listening.”
“Bringing your true self to work means being vulnerable, and not everyone deserves or needs to see that side of you,” McPherson added.
