Managing Perceptions
Many factors influence the way in which we perceive the world and the people in it. Our different cultural backgrounds, life experiences, and personal values all affect our interactions and relationships with others, as do our personalities, our social skills, and our styles and approaches to dealing with people and problems. In the workplace, especially as managers and supervisors, we need to learn the skills that enable us to understand and manage other people's perceptions of us.
This is not as difficult as you may think, although it does require a good deal of thought, motivation, self-awareness—and practice. Once you have the skills, however, you will find it easier to communicate with people and to motivate and lead them.
techniques for managing perceptions can be positive or negative, depending on the context. we live in a society in which people and organization spend billions employing others—advertising and public relations companies—to manage perceptions. you can employ the same techniques used by these companies to influence others and change their perceptions of you. at the very least, you can become aware of the effect your behavior has on others. at best, you will learn to use this awareness to develop skills that allow you to manage your behavior in a way that furthers your career.
Careers are no longer managed by organizations, but by individuals themselves. You will be judged not only on what you do, but on how you do it—so other people's perceptions and evaluations of you play an important role in your career. People with the skills to influence others' perceptions have a far better chance of controlling their own destiny.
Within seconds of meeting someone, you will make an impression on that person. First impressions are lasting impressions; therefore, if you have made a negative first impression, you will have a hard time changing it. Doing so requires a consistent flow of new positive messages. That means learning to be aware of—and ready to evaluate—your behavior at all times. It will take time and energy.
First you must understand both that person's existing perception and the new one you wish to make. You then need to create a bridge between the two and find opportunities to convey your positive messages. The persona you put forward, however, must be you. Any deception will be easy to spot, simply because living a lie is extraordinarily difficult to sustain.
Common wisdom suggests that you need to take care of your relationships as you move up the career ladder. People can harbor grudges for years. If someday you should find yourself on the way back down, you do not want to risk encountering an unforgiving individual in a position of power. If you cannot change your attitude, you had better have skills that make you indispensable!
To understand how others view you, you need to gain an accurate understanding of yourself.
- Spend some quiet time alone each day examining who you are and who you are not.
- Encourage informal feedback from trusted peers and managers. You may be surprised at how they perceive you. Be aware that they will give subjective views based on personal opinions, so attempt to remain objective and explore what about you may have influenced these views.
- More formal tools, such as psychometrics and personality profiles can be helpful. Feedback from these can be easier to manage because it is objective and involves no third-party relationship.
- 360-degree surveys, which gather the views of audiences, both inside and outside the business, can be helpful but focus on skills as well as behavior. Be aware of the differences between the two. While both may be learned and modified, changing the way you behave usually involves altering personality traits and perceptions and is more difficult than acquiring new technical skills.
- When reviewing test results, try not to concentrate only on personal information that feels hurtful. Look for patterns in the feedback. Consider the when's and why's. Stress often allows unintentional behavior to surface. It is possible, too, that you have been completely unaware of the behavior that has created the impression you want to change.
Remember that building self-awareness requires courage and commitment, so do not allow yourself to become discouraged by what you learn.
Before you embark on a perception management strategy, determine your goals, how you intend to accomplish them, and how you will monitor your progress. Focus initially on changing one thing that will create a quick win.
Consider the context in which you are working and use the feedback you have received to select your goals. You may have a strong desire to change your behavior and others may have encouraged you to do so—but remember—people are accustomed to the old you and may not react to the new you as you expect. It will help if you concentrate on four tracks:
- Communicate your intentions to people who may be affected. Look for an opportunity, such as an annual formal performance appraisal, to make your intentions known; you will likely win more support and understanding if things should not work out exactly as you plan. You are also likely to receive more praise when they do.
- Gain support from your manager or key members of your team to help keep you focused. A good support group is essential when you seek to change something about yourself-witness the success of groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Weight Watchers.
- Find a coach to provide ongoing direction and support. A coach can make impartial observations and encourage you to continue, or change, your strategy as you move forward. Working with a coach takes time and commitment, so allow for this in your plan.
- Evaluate your progress at each milestone in your plan, either formally or informally. You may wish to keep a daily journal of the details that tend to slip away if they do not get written down. Frequent informal feedback from friends and colleagues is important. You might tell them in advance that you intend to approach them for feedback, so that they can consciously pay attention to your behavior; then give them enough time to observe you before asking for that feedback. A more formal option is to revisit the 360-degree questionnaire and see whether others have noticed a change.
The changes you succeed in bringing about may not be immediately recognized by others. It may take months, but do not lose heart-consistency and perseverance are key.
Do:
- Increase your own awareness
- Be aware of the effect you have on others
- Learn to interpret other people's verbal and nonverbal signals
- Know the effect that stress has on you and how this looks to others
- Be visible at strategic moments
- Encourage feedback from people you value, without making unreasonable demands
- Allow others to make their own choices
- Give yourself adequate time and make perception management part of your personal development
- Be consistent, patient, and forgiving
Do Not:
- React emotionally to the feedback you receive
- Act defensive
- Become unmotivated
- Be ingratiating
- Behave aggressively and try too hard too quickly
- Expect too much
- Embroil others in your views of yourself
- Pester people for feedback
- Be political or manipulative in your behavior
In a nutshell, perception management is the ability to create an impression through conscious activities and awareness of other people and the impact your behavior has on them. To be successful, define your target audience, superimpose their values on yours, adjust your communication style, encourage feedback, and be aware of how you adapt at every step of the way.
It is easy to get impatient for results and give up too quickly. Behavioral change is not easy; it requires dedication, commitment, and consistency. Only constant repetition and reinforcement of your new behavior will change people's perceptions of you.
It can be embarrassing to ask for feedback and advice, particularly when you find yourself in a management role. It is helpful to remember that much of our behavior is habitual and unconscious. To some extent it may even have contributed to previous promotions. However, conduct appropriate to some roles may not be right for others. When you move into a management position, for example, relationships suddenly become more important than technical skills. In a new and challenging situation, try choosing one particular project or aspect of your new role as a test bed for the new you.
In trying to change your behavior, it is easy to overdo and alienate the very people you are attempting to influence. Pursue your goals for change, but err on the side of subtlety.
Demarais, Ann, and Valerie White.
About Human Resources: http://humanresources.about.com/cs/workrelationships/a/workallies.htm
American Management Association: www.amanet.org>