Unmasking, Business Casual, and 150 Colleagues

This week, I was heading to a 3-day internal offsite with my company. Around 150 people. Full days of presentations, group exercises, team-building, and long dinners with networking drinks — the kind of event that’s designed to energize and connect.

And while that may be true for some, for me — an autistic, introverted leader — these types of gatherings have always been… a lot.

Over the years, I’ve learned how to blend in. Smile at the right moments. Laugh at the jokes. Push through the social overload. And then quietly crash once I get home.

But this time, I wanted to try something different.

I wanted to unmask — just a little.

Not in a loud or dramatic way. Just subtle shifts to see what it would feel like to show up more as myself.

I had a few things in mind:

Saying I need a break instead of faking a phone call
Stepping away when the noise got too much
Skipping the drinks if I was drained
Maybe even mentioning I’m autistic, if it felt right

And yes — the dress code was “business casual,” which often feels like code for “don’t be too much yourself.” But I packed what felt good. Still professional, but more me.

Unmasking is slow work. It’s personal. And for me, it’s a quiet experiment in reclaiming energy and space in rooms that weren’t designed with people like me in mind.

Right now, I’m on my way home — tired, definitely — but also a little proud that I tried.

I’ll share more soon on how it went.

And if you’ve ever tried unmasking at a big corporate event, I’d love to hear what helped you.

Let’s keep figuring this out together.