Recently while walking my dog, I happened to notice a group of trees lining the street. Most of the trees had leaves that were varying shades of green except one. One particular tree really stood out because it had these stunning purple-black leaves.

My first reaction?  I thought of Sesame Street and a segment they used to do where they asked: which one of these things doesn't belong? Then it struck me. What's wrong with being different and standing out?

That got me thinking about a time when I was in kindergarten and my teacher pulled my ponytail. I went home and told my mother that I could never be bad and my mother laughingly asked me why. I told her it was because of my red hair. My red hair not only made me stand out but made me an easy target to spot. As a result, I started to work hard to blend in and, on a subconscious level, I have tried to blend in ever since.

Yale law professor Kenji Yoshino, author of Covering: the Hidden Assault on Our Civil Rights, says women in the workplace practice what he calls "covering" -  downplaying aspects of ourselves that we think may be viewed as less acceptable in the workplace. He says this "covering" is what may be holding many groups back including women.

What's the moral of the story? Don't work hard to make yourself invisible. Instead, tell yourself it's okay to stand out and be an original.  Remember, in today's business world what makes you distinct may actually be an advantage.