BOOK REVIEW
Book Title: Don’t Be Yourself – Why Authenticity Is Overrated (and What to Do Instead)
Author: Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic
Publisher: Harvard Business School Publishing
List Price: $30
Format: Hardcover, 256 pages
Publication Date: October 2025
ISBN: 9781647829834
Reviewer: Dr. Pernel Roberts, PMP
Review Date: April 2026
Introduction
In Don’t Be Yourself, Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic sets out to challenge one of the most celebrated ideals of modern culture: authenticity. Rather than dismissing the concept outright, he issues a careful and well-reasoned warning about how authenticity has been redefined in recent decades. Particularly in the world of work, and the subtle but consequential dangers that have followed. He acknowledges the legitimate, well-intentioned roots of the concept while making a compelling case that its popular contemporary version has gone seriously off course. To guide the reader, he identifies four distinct “authenticity traps” and offers practical, grounded alternatives to each.
Overview of Book’s Structure
The book opens with a brisk, engaging ten-page introduction that establishes the terrain: what psychologists say about authenticity, what popular culture says, and what Dr. Chamorro-Premuzic intends to argue. From there, the book unfolds in two substantive parts.
Part 1 spans five chapters and focuses squarely on diagnosing the problem. The opening chapter provides a broad overview of the four authenticity traps, with each of the four subsequent chapters examining one trap in depth:
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- Trap 1: Always Be Honest, with Yourself and Others
- Trap 2: Be True to Your Values and Follow Your Heart, No Matter What
- Trap 3: Don’t Worry About What Others Think of You
- Trap 4: Bring Your Whole Self to Work
Part 2, titled What To Do Instead, pivots decisively from diagnosis to prescription across three focused chapters. Each chapter applies the author’s corrective lens to a distinct and consequential domain: Career Advancement, Leadership, and Diversity and Inclusion.
Highlights
Dr. Chamorro-Premuzic opens by establishing just how dominant the authenticity movement has become, citing prominent psychologists such as Brené Brown and noting that Merriam-Webster selected authenticity as its 2023 Word of the Year. This cultural moment sets the stakes clearly: authenticity is not a fringe idea, it is a mainstream mandate.
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How to cite this work: Roberts, P. (2025). Don’t Be Yourself – Why Authenticity Is Overrated (and What to Do Instead), book review, PM World Journal, Vol. XIV, Issue VI, June. Available online at https://pmworldjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/pmwj165-Jun2026-Roberts-Dont-Be-Yourself-book-review.pdf
About the Reviewer
Dr. Pernel Roberts
Texas, USA
Dr. Pernel Roberts (PgMP®, PMP®) is a PMO executive and transformation leader with over 25 years of experience in governance-driven program delivery, benefits realization management, and organizational capability building. He is the founder of More Project Success LLC and a proud member of the PMI Dallas Chapter and Frisco Chamber of Commerce. A seasoned educator, Dr. Roberts has prepared more than 300 candidates for PMP and CAPM certification since 2011. He can be contacted at pernel@moreprojectsuccess.com.
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