You will have issues with your future career if you don’t force yourself out of your current comfort zone in terms of how you interact with people. I am not talking about a** kissing or being the life of the party, but to be successful in almost any job, EQ will be as important as IQ. You also have to be proactive. Jobs, desirable projects don’t fall into people’s laps. Don’t expect your employer (actual or potential) to read your mind on what you are interested in or that they will be so wowed by your brilliance that they will come to you. For better or worse, it is human nature for people to take an interest in people who take an interest in them. It is also human nature for people to want to work with people that they like personally. If you do this superficially (are fake) of course people will see through it. On the other hand if you can learn to take a genuine interest in other people’s personal and professional interests, you will help yourself personally and professionally.