Leader Camille Christiansen shares insights on authenticity, growth, and opportunity—backed by research on psychological safety and workplace success.
Camille Christiansen is an experienced accounting and consulting professional who has supported rural telecommunications companies since 2001. She has led financial audits and provided strategic advisory services across a range of organizations, including wireline and wireless carriers, cable providers, and fiber transport companies. In addition to her client work, she serves as a lead instructor for Moss Adams’ telecom accounting seminars, where she shares insights on industry-specific accounting practices and financial strategy.
With more than two decades of experience guiding organizations and developing professionals in the industry, Camille brings a people-centered perspective to leadership and growth. We asked her to share her insights on creating workplace environments where individuals can truly thrive and the mindset needed to embrace opportunity and build a meaningful career.
“I have found that people are most successful when they are comfortable being their authentic selves. This can be very difficult when a team member is new to an organization. The more we embrace our differences and celebrate what makes each person unique, the more people can be their true selves at work. Authenticity presents itself in so many ways, from how we dress to our values to our hobbies. A genuine interest in people goes a long way in helping to achieve this. Teams are far more interesting to work with when we have diversity amongst the individual members. I've been incredibly fortunate in my career that I haven't felt like I needed to be someone other than myself to be successful, and hope that I'm paying that forward.”
“Don't be afraid of new opportunities and say yes more than you say no. We often ask about someone's one-year, five-year plans, etc., and I have found this isn't a fair question because we're not asking them to envision what may be unimaginable today. The career I have built is nothing that my 21-year-old self (or even my 40-year-old self, for that matter) would have imagined, and it's so much better than I envisioned for myself. Throughout my career, I have had people who presented new opportunities to me and kept saying yes. It's important to have goals for yourself, but don't make them so specific that you miss out on something that you might enjoy even more than what you're doing today. I'm reminded of a couple of great quotes about pushing ourselves. Henry Ford said, "One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn’t do. And Eleanor Roosevelt challenges us to do something every day that scares us.”
Why Authenticity and Opportunity Drive Workplace Success: A Research Perspective
Wu-Ting Alisa Chen
Camille Christiansen’s experiences and insights highlight several key principles of effective leadership and workplace growth, including the importance of authenticity, diversity, and inclusion, and building genuine connections with others. She also emphasizes embracing opportunities, avoiding overly rigid career plans, and stepping outside of one’s comfort zone to foster growth. These perspectives are strongly supported by research, which shows that individuals and teams thrive in environments that promote psychological safety, inclusion, and engagement (Edmondson, 1999; Harter et al., 2002; Shore et al., 2011). Additionally, research on growth mindset, proactive behavior, and self-efficacy suggests that individuals are more likely to develop and succeed when they embrace challenges, take initiative, and believe in their ability to grow (Bandura, 1997; Dweck, 2006; Grant & Ashford, 2008).
Edmondson (1999) found that psychological safety, where individuals feel safe to express themselves without fear of negative consequences, is critical for team learning, collaboration, and performance. When people feel psychologically safe, they are more willing to speak up, share ideas, and learn from mistakes. This directly supports Camille’s emphasis on authenticity, reinforcing that team success is not driven by avoiding mistakes, but by creating environments where individuals feel safe enough to learn from them.
Shore et al. (2011) further support this perspective, demonstrating that inclusive workplaces allow individuals to experience both a sense of belonging and the freedom to express their uniqueness, which enhances engagement and effectiveness. When employees feel accepted for who they are while also being valued for what they uniquely contribute, they are more likely to thrive. Similarly, Harter et al. (2002) show that when employees feel recognized, supported, and engaged, teams achieve higher performance, stronger retention, and better overall business outcomes.
Camille’s emphasis on authenticity and respect also aligns with Roberson and Stevens (2006), who found that employees interpret diversity through fairness, identity, and everyday interactions. Leaders play a critical role in shaping these experiences by fostering inclusive environments that influence both workplace culture and employee engagement. In addition, Dweck (2006) highlights that a growth mindset, embracing challenges and viewing them as opportunities to learn, drives long-term development and success. Together, these insights reinforce Camille’s belief that growth is shaped by both supportive environments and the willingness to step beyond one’s comfort zone.
Her perspective on embracing opportunity is further supported by Krumboltz’s (2009) Planned Happenstance Theory, which suggests that careers are often shaped by unplanned opportunities and a willingness to take action. Grant and Ashford (2008) build on this idea, showing that proactive behaviors, such as seeking out opportunities and taking initiative, are strongly linked to career advancement and leadership development. Additionally, Bandura’s (1997) concept of self-efficacy highlights that individuals are more likely to embrace challenges and persist when they believe in their ability to succeed.
Together, these findings reinforce Camille’s message that growth is not driven by rigid plans, but by openness, initiative, and the confidence to step into new opportunities. More importantly, they highlight the role leaders play in shaping environments where individuals feel safe to be themselves, supported in their development, and empowered to take meaningful action. When organizations prioritize authenticity, inclusion, and growth, they create the conditions for both individuals and teams to truly thrive.
References
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. Freeman. https://educational-innovation.sydney.edu.au/news/pdfs/Bandura%201977.pdf View Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. Freeman.
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2006-08575-000 View Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House.
Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350–383. https://doi.org/10.2307/2666999 View Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly
Grant, A. M., & Ashford, S. J. (2008). The dynamics of proactivity at work. Research in Organizational Behavior, 28, 3–34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.riob.2008.04.002 view Grant, A. M., & Ashford, S. J. (2008). The dynamics of proactivity at work. Research in Organizational Behavior
Harter, J. K., Schmidt, F. L., & Hayes, T. L. (2002). Business-unit-level relationship between employee satisfaction and performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(2), 268–279. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.87.2.268 View Harter, J. K., Schmidt, F. L., & Hayes, T. L.'s Business-unit-level relationship between employee satisfaction and performance
Krumboltz, J. D. (2009). The happenstance learning theory. Journal of Career Assessment, 17(2), 135–154. https://doi.org/10.1177/1069072708328861 View Krumboltz, J. D.'s The happenstance learning theory
Roberson, Q. M. (2006). Disentangling the meanings of diversity and inclusion. Group & Organization Management, 31(2), 212–236. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059601104273064 View Roberson, Q. M.'s Disentangling the meanings of diversity and inclusion
Shore, L. M., Randel, A. E., Chung, B. G., Dean, M. A., Ehrhart, K. H., & Singh, G. (2011). Inclusion and diversity in work groups: A review and model for future research. Journal of Management, 37(4), 1262–1289. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206310385943 View Shore, L. M., Randel, A. E., Chung, B. G., Dean, M. A., Ehrhart, K. H., & Singh, G.'s Inclusion and diversity in work groups
