The Joy of Awkward
Out 12th November 2026
The Joy of Awkward
Why being seen at work feels so terrifying and how to do it anyway
These days we’re often encouraged to let our guard down at work, yet the belief that professional means perfect stubbornly persists. So we zip ourselves into Emotional Hazmat Suits, pouring our energy into maintaining a flawless corporate avatar.
In The Joy of Awkward, award-winning author and organisational psychologist Becky Westwood reveals the crucial, career-saving distinction between vulnerability (exposing your personal wounds) and humanness (exposing your operational reality).
Whether you’re a leader struggling to connect, a high-achiever suffocating under the pressure of perfection, or a manager trying to build a team that can be real with one another, this book is your blueprint.
Inside, you’ll learn how to:
- Identify your Humanness Profile: Discover how you secretly protect yourself at work, and how to reclaim the energy you spend faking it.
- Navigate the Internal Smoke Alarm: Understand the neuroscience behind why your brain panics when you admit friction, so you can survive the ten seconds of awkwardness it takes to be truly seen.
- Test the Waters: Safely lower your guard and run micro-experiments that build deep trust in imperfect situations.
- Measure What Matters: Equip your organisation with the tools to systematically reward truth over performative perfection.
It’s time to reclaim the profound, messy energy of your true self and embrace authenticity. Because the real you is, and always has been, enough.
Too many of us have learned to hide behind props, shields – and excuses – but Becky Westwood knows why we do this, and how we can change. This is a must-read for anyone who wants to be themselves with confidence and build real connection at work.
In the new AI era, work, and indeed the world, would be a better place if we were all a little more human. This book provides the map, key and emergency pack you need in your quest to become the real you at work.
Pre-order a copy of Becky's new book
Out 12th November 2026
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The Joy of Awkward
Why being seen at work feels so terrifying and how to do it anyway
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