Is telling a woman she smiles too much at work sexist? Ask Johnny

Being told you’re “too sweet” or dismissed because of how you smile says far more about the speaker’s bias than your competence.

Johnny C. Taylor Jr. tackles your workplace questions each week for USA TODAY. Taylor is president and CEO of SHRM, the world's largest trade association of human resources professionals, and author of “Reset: A Leader’s Guide to Work in an Age of Upheaval.”

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Question: Someone in leadership told me it’s hard to take me seriously because I “look so sweet and smile a lot.” How do I change this perception without changing myself? – Maria

Answer: Let’s start with the obvious. Comments like this often sit squarely in the territory of gender stereotypes, and those stereotypes have no place at work. Being told you’re “too sweet” or dismissed because of how you smile says far more about the speaker’s bias than your competence. If comments like these cross a line ‒ or feel rooted in sexism ‒human resources or upper management should be involved.

Now, here’s where the conversation gets more complicated. Like it or not, perception does matter at work. Most people don’t bring their fully authentic selves into every professional setting, nor should they. The workplace requires judgment, context, and an ability to read the room. That isn’t selling out; it’s professionalism.