Once upon a time, in a bustling corporate kingdom, there lived an emerging manager named CindyRella.
Unlike the classic Cinderella, this CindyRella wasn’t waiting for an exec to notice her hard work. She had ambitions, and devoured books on marketing, leadership, business, and developed her hobbies like inventing and speech.
CindyRella worked at Kingdom Corp Unlimited, the kingdom’s most prestigious corporation, where women were expected to have perfect PowerPoints, a pick-up-the-slack team spirit, and above all – always be agreeable and accommodating, even if it meant working 80 hours per week.
Despite these pressures, she nurtured a fiery spirit and zest for life, which she struggled not to hide, for fear of not fitting in.
A major conference announced a $50k bonus for the most impactful manager. CindyRella’s step-manager, a true dotted line, and her competitive peers expected her to conform to the social ideal of perfection. But CindyRella, tired of the facade, contemplated showing her true self.
In her weekly one-on-one, her mentor, The Godmother, encouraged her to be authentic. “You don’t need to hide behind a facade of perfection,” she advised. “Let your true self shine.“
Inspired, CindyRella attended the conference in a simple, elegant dress, her authenticity on full display. When unexpectedly awarded for her influence and leadership, she gave a speech on re-thinking and re-imagining impact, a session titled “Unleashing Your Authentic Self.”
In a defining moment, she threw her glass slippers into the audience, which disintegrated into fairy dust symbolically freeing everyone from outdated norms.
The act didn’t just silence the room—it captivated the female CEO and inspired both men and women peers. CindyRella didn’t wait to be promoted, but she was.
CindyRella’s authenticity sparked a movement within the company, leading to the creation of an Employee Resource Group and recognition program focused on authenticity and empowerment.
CindyRella’s journey, from hiding her true self to becoming a beacon of empowerment, leaves a legacy of resilience and sisterhood. Her story reminds us that the greatest magic is being unapologetically ourselves. Pass it on.
