Why is “dull” seen as professional?

Somewhere along the way, “professional” became a synonym for “beige.”

We were told to flatten our personality, iron out our quirks, and write in a tone so neutral it could sedate a caffeinated squirrel

And we accepted it, because that’s what the corporate world wanted

Predictable. Polished. Painless

But here’s the uncomfortable truth: dull doesn’t build trust Dull doesn’t move people Dull doesn’t sell

What actually resonates with buyers, colleagues, and communities is humanness, insight, curiosity, warmth, and the courage to say something real

Yet we still cling to this outdated notion that being forgettable is somehow the height of professionalism

Look at LinkedIn on a Monday morning

Endless posts that blend into one another, written in a voice nobody actually speaks in

No tone. No story. No edge

It’s the corporate equivalent of elevator music

Why? Because for decades the business world rewarded compliance “Don’t stand out.” “Don’t say anything that might polarise.” “Keep it safe.”

We built cultures where originality was treated like a risk to be mitigated, not an asset to be celebrated

But the world has changed

Buyers have changed

Attention has changed

People don’t want another grey voice in a grey feed, they want clarity, insight, energy, point of view

They want to feel something

They want to learn something

They want the sense that there’s an actual human behind the words, not a committee that edited the life out of them

Professionalism isn’t about suppressing your personality

It’s about showing up with intention, empathy, and relevance You can be thoughtful and bold You can be credible and creative You can be professional without being painfully dull

The people who stand out today, who attract opportunities, build communities, and influence buyers are the ones who ditched the dullness

They replaced corporate tone with clarity They replaced jargon with meaning They replaced “professional” with personal

So maybe the real question isn’t “Why is dull seen as professional?” Maybe it’s this:

Why would you want to be dull at all?