Perception Matters: Is Perception Reality?

I perceive; therefore, it is. Ok, so I’m not exactly René Descartes. I know. But it is an important argument, especially in the world of work. Does perception matter? Does the way that my team, clients, supervisor, and management perceive me impact reality?

Perception Matters.

As much as I try to convince my 9-year-old that what her peers think is meaningless and that the 3rd grade Mean Girls are irrelevant, the truth is that once she hits the world of work, the way that others perceive the value she brings, may indeed have an impact. Before you fall out of your chair in disbelief that I’d make such an assertion, read on . . .

“Perception is reality.” This quote is sure to yield grunts, eye-rolls, and sighs from an audience. And while I am sure there are many that agree with the idea that perception is reality, there are many others who would be willing to argue that it is not. In fact, just last week, I was facilitating a team-building workshop around the theme of the “Power of Your Attitude”, and I stirred up quite a discussion. I projected a quote on the screen:

“It’s not what you do, nor the way that you do it, but how your team perceives what you do and how you do it that determines the value you bring to the team”.

And the crowd went wild. We had such a wonderfully engaging debate around the power and value of perception. Both sides made valid arguments. There were folks who were adamant about the idea that perception does not impact that which is real. And perhaps they are right. Perception may not match truth and reality. It does; however, have an impact on what is real in the eyes of the person/people doing the perceiving. Here’s an example:

Sally perceives that John brings very little value to the team. Sally has her own supporting examples to back up this perception. Even if her examples are flawed, the belief is still true and real to Sally. Reality.

The Good News!

“All things are subject to interpretation. Whichever interpretation prevails at a given time is a function of power and not truth.” ―Friedrich Nietzsche

The good news is that we have the power to manage perceptions, and it doesn’t take much to get started. Here are two quick-start tips to begin the process of managing perceptions!

1. Be Self-Aware

Pay attention. Try to consider the impact you are having on others. How do others view you? What types of responses do you elicit from your words and actions? If anyone has ever read one of my blog posts, read my book, or attended one of my sessions, you know that I am a big fan of self-assessment. Take some time out to examine yourself, your contributions, your impact.

2. Be the Brand!

Whatever your brand is, live it! We hear the term “Personal Branding” thrown about all the time, but what it is about? Personal Branding is the method through which we market ourselves in order to manage others’ perception or emotions related to our value. It is the method through which we shape, market, and manage our reputation.

While I could go on and on talking about personal branding and power of marketing oneself (and I could shamelessly plug my book, “Marketing You: Be STRATEGIC”), I will instead give two quick nuggets:

• Association: Network and connect with people who have a positive, valued reputation and who bring value to you.
• Communication:
  • Be very purposeful, deliberate, intentional with your words and actions.
  • Plan your communication. If you want to control perceptions, think about the message that you wish to send, and then chose the messaging wisely.

It’s Your Turn

So, I ask you, my readers, two questions:

• Do you subscribe to the notion that Perception is reality?
• What steps do you take to control to manage others’ perceptions of you?

Share your thoughts!

(Image sources: Microsoft Clip Art Gallery, WikiMedia Commons)

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You Made a Mistake, Now What? You Can Recover

So, it happened. You made a pretty major mistake on the job, and now all eyes are on you. Perhaps you missed an important meeting, published incorrect data, or angered a major client. Or maybe it’s a Julia Braverman-Graham level mistake, in which you’ve dropped the ball on a multi-million dollar deal. (This reference will only make sense to my Parenthood fans!)

The good news is that for the majority of us, TMZ won’t broadcast our mistake to the world. And the reality is: You can recover, no matter the size of the mistake.

We’ve seen it countless times. Look at former President Bill Clinton, Michael Vick, and many other examples of human beings who have made catastrophic mistakes that could have potentially destroyed their careers, but instead, they were able to get on the road to recovery.

Bill Clinton. According to an article in USA Today, Clinton is among the top 10 all-time wealthiest presidents! I was 23 and I still remember his address to the nation . C’mon, you remember it too. It went something like “I did not have sexual relations with that woman. . . “. And I’m sure you remember the day he had to eat those very words, humble himself before the nation, and tell the truth!

And remarkably, he recovered from that.

And what about Vick? We all remember 2007 and the charges of dog fighting that ended in his conviction. But, no matter how you may feel about Vick, one thing is for certain: his story shows that people can recover professionally from big mistakes! Many people have not forgiven his actions (and possibly never will), and he is still traveling that road to redemption, but there is no denying that he got a second chance in his profession to make millions doing something he loves. In fact, in 2011, he was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year. Recovery!

How do they do it? How do people recover after such devastating and public blows to their careers? We can use countless examples of celebrities, politicians, or people that we know personally to demonstrate that recovery is possible. The recipe for recovery certainly includes accountability, effective communication, and action.

As you know, I am a professional development trainer with K-Ferg Training, and the author of "Marketing You: Be STRATEGIC". When clients ask me about righting a wrong in the workplace, I share my 5 tips to recover in the face of a major mistake. Check out my tips below!

• Get In Front of It

  - Never hide behind what you have done or failed to do. We all make mistakes. Accountability is always key. Take responsibility for your mistake. That might be painful and uncomfortable at first, but you’ll increase your respect-factor tenfold by just being honest. People may discover that in the face of a challenging situation, you are honest, reliable, and dedicated to the cause.

Nobody is perfect, but try to avoid redirecting the blame to someone else. If it is your mistake, own the issue. Rather than comparing your mistake to the mistakes that other colleagues have made, just be available. Let people know that you are ready to take responsibility to work toward resolution.

• Prevention

  – It’s more than just coming up with a solution for this mistake. It is about creating strategies to prevent the mistake from occurring again. Key employees don’t simply react; they respond proactively. If all you ever do is react, someone can replace you.

This is an opportunity to learn from your error, and demonstrate that new-found knowledge by creating and recommending solutions.

• Intentional, Strategic Communication

  – Think about politicians or celebrities in the face of scandal. Many face the public with a skillfully crafted acknowledgement of wrong-doing coupled with language that evokes human emotion. While I certainly do not have a public relations professional at my beck and call to address responses to my missteps, I believe in the power of sending the right message with my words and tones. So tip number three is simple: Be very intentional and careful with your words. This is paramount. It’s about branding. It’s about communicating strategically and deliberately. You want to position yourself as trustworthy and dependable.

If you respond to the error with a lie, empty promises, or insincere words, it will be two-times as hard for you to recover and rebuild trust, when the truth is discovered.

• Get Your Network Behind You

  – So, you’re no Beyonce or Katy Perry. You don’t have an paid entourage that can get behind you and boost your confidence a bit. You are, however, a business professional with an extended network of power behind you. Sincerely communicate with your department, colleagues, and those within your network who may be impacted by the error. Lean on your inner circle for support. And align yourself with people that others trust. This will help you re-position yourself.

• Get Over It!

  Let’s keep it 100% honest. Every one of us has made mistakes. Once we have done what we feel is necessary to begin the recovery process, we have to forgive ourselves, and let it go. I have seen colleagues beat themselves up for weeks, months (sometimes years) over one mistake. What seems like a big deal today, may not seem as bad tomorrow. And if it does seem as bad tomorrow, continue to work to rebuild the trust that may have been damaged as a result of the error, but don’t allow the error to consume you.

Instead, see it as an opportunity to learn, grow, and develop. Recovery is not always easy. It’s not always instant, but if managed appropriately, recovering from a mistake is a reality!

(Top Image Source: Philly.com, Other image sources: Microsoft Clip Art Gallery, WikiMedia Commons)

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Kimberly A. Ferguson is a Learning & Development trainer and coach, a MBTI Certified Practitioner, the author of "Marketing You: Be STRATEGIC", and the owner of Excel Service Consulting, LLC.

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