
S11 E7: The Authenticity They Want vs. The You They Can't Handle with Madison Butler
From I Hate It Here by Hebba Youssef
February 23, 2026 · 54 min
About this episode
The episode discusses the challenges of being authentic at work and the paradox of corporate America's desire for authenticity while punishing it.
Today, we're talking about a topic that shouldn't be controversial but somehow still is, which is being authentic at work! As most of you already know, most workplaces either treat authenticity like a performance or punish you the second you actually show up as yourself. I'm joined by Madison Butler, who literally wrote a book about this, and we're getting into why authenticity feels so dangerous, why corporate America says they want it but freaks out when you deliver, and how to practice authenticity without tanking your career. If you've ever felt like you're performing a version of yourself at work instead of just existing, you’ll probably relate to this discussion! Quantum Workplace helps leaders build thriving teams that fuel business success. We give leaders at every level a clear path forward—by unlocking critical talent insights across engagement, performance, and development. With clarity and confidence, people leaders can act decisively, scale leadership quality, and strengthen connection and performance. Trusted by thousands of people-focused companies, Quantum Workplace makes it easier to keep teams aligned, empowered, growing, and valued on the path to business…
People in this episode
Host: Hebba Youssef
Guest: Madison Butler
Topics covered
- authenticity at work
- corporate culture
- self-expression
- career development
- workplace performance
Keywords
- authenticity
- workplace
- corporate America
- self-expression
- career
- performance
- Madison Butler
Sponsors
Quantum Workplace
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Quantum Workplace
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