Workplace Multiplier by Tola Akinsulire

March 6, 2025

Welcome to the Workplace Multiplier newsletter. Published Monday to Friday, equipping you to achieve your professional goals faster and without burnout or overwhelm by leveraging The Triple Win Method.

Hi , can we call you Al? Or Betty?

Howdy ,

I love Paul Simon’s hit song, “You Can Call Me Al”.

The names in the song came from an incident at a party that Simon went to with his then-wife Peggy Harper. French composer and conductor Pierre Boulez, who was attending the same party, mistakenly referred to Paul as "Al" and to Peggy as "Betty", inspiring Simon to write a song.

The verses of the song ask questions—questions without answers, questions about unique life situations, and more.

The chorus acts as a sort of resolution by providing an immediate action to keep the momentum going.

If you'll be my bodyguard

I can be your long-lost pal

I can call you Betty

And Betty when you call me

You can call me Al

Call me Al

Paul Simon said he was going for first giving listeners the simplest information, before getting abstract with his imagery in the song's third verse.

"Because there's been a structure, [...] those abstract images, they will come down and fall into one of the slots that the mind has already made up about the structure of the song." He said.

Why am I on this song’s fanboy story lane?

Because it's the perfect metaphor for what happens in the workplace when your values aren't defined.

Think about it.

The song is fundamentally about identity confusion. "Why am I soft in the middle now?" "Why am I short of attention?" These are the questions of someone who doesn't recognize themselves anymore.

Sound familiar?

When you don't consciously define your values, you end up living someone else's version of who you should be at work. You become "Al" when your name is Paul. You wear a mask that doesn't quite fit.

The Identity Crisis at Work

In the third verse, Simon sings about being "a foreign man" who "doesn't speak the language" and "holds no currency."

That's exactly how it feels when you're operating from someone else's values in the workplace. You're a foreigner in your own career. The conversations don't resonate. The priorities feel off. You're constantly translating what matters to you into what seems to matter to everyone else.

But then comes the breakthrough moment:

He sees angels in the architecture Spinning in infinity He says Amen! and Hallelujah!

This is what happens when you discover your authentic values and align your work with them.

Suddenly, everything makes sense. The structure holds meaning. You can say "Amen!" to your choices because they reflect who you truly are.

Finding Your Name

Over the past few days, we've talked about how values form the foundation of your personal brand. Today, I want to emphasize that this isn't just about professional success—it's about personal recognition.

When you operate from clearly defined values:

1.   You recognize yourself in the mirror every morning

2.   Your decisions feel natural, not forced

3.   You build authentic connections with colleagues

4.   Your work becomes an extension of who you are, not a separate identity

Your Thursday Action Step

Today, I want you to think about where you feel like "Al" instead of your true self at work. Where are you compromising your values to fit in? Where does your professional identity feel misaligned with who you truly are?

Write down specific situations where you've felt this disconnect. Then, consider how your authentic values might guide you differently in these scenarios.

Remember, you don't need a "bodyguard" to protect an inauthentic version of yourself. When you operate from your true values, you can be your own "long lost pal" - the authentic you that's been there all along.

Fellow Workplace Multipliers,

You can win at work and in life.

Tola Akinsulire

Your Strategic Workplace Mentor

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Want to get in on some of the lessons I have picked up in my career? Get my eBook "21 Lessons I Learned in My Career - A Primer to Help You Become Better at Work". Get it here

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