Perception Management

The male lion isn’t the smartest animal in the jungle. Apes, Elephants and Parrots are more intelligent. He is neither the largest animal nor the largest cat. The tiger is. He isn’t the fastest animal or even the fastest cat. The cheetah is. He isn’t even the hunter among his own pride. It’s the female lions that track and subdue prey.

Then, why is the lion considered the king of the jungle? It is because he has an impressive mane and a big roar.

This doesn’t mean the lion is a fraud. If called upon, he can back up that roar. However, what makes the lion special is the combination of genuine power and behavior that effectively communicates that power to the world.

If we want to be lions � that is to say, the �kings and the queens� of our own profession � we need to adopt the same approach. Those of us who are on the path to corporate leadership should spend time perfecting the types of communication skills that generate respect and influence others.

People reach highly influential positions because they understand the power of perception and know how to leverage on it. They use these skills to establish how they are perceived by others and to manage their reputation throughout the organization, stake holders and the public.

A few years back perception management was the lowest priority on my list. �Actions speak louder than words� people heard me saying. �Reality shapes perceptions� I thought naively. I have changed my mind.

The way we are perceived is the reality in the eyes of our colleagues, friends, managers and definitely the media. Abraham Lincoln said, �Public sentiment is everything. With it, nothing can fail; without it, nothing can succeed�.

The biggest potential mistake is confusing perception with manipulation. We will achieve nothing by manipulating others to follow our ideas, beliefs, or vision. Once we shift from being someone who influences through manipulation to being someone who influences through persuasion, we can’t lose.

To ensure the respect of our peers, employees, bosses and eventually the general public, we can use the power of branding to further our careers and personal goals. How do we improve the way we are perceived by others? How do we build a strong personal brand?

First, we identify changes in attitude, behavior and character that will strengthen our brand. Then commit to them. For example, this blog is a commitment to change. Writing my commitments and sharing them with the public reinforces my behaviors.

Second, we assess how we are perceived by others. Feedback gathering could be a painful task especially if we are sincere about receiving honest criticism from our peers, bosses and employees. The self-assessment and feedback-gathering are worthless if we are not making adjustments along the way.

Third, we discover our personal power by focusing on building credibility. Let people understand who we really are. Let them figure out that we have changed and we are different. We should not shy away from our new brand.

Fourth, we may become the living embodiment of our new brand quickly (or not), but it will take time for others to notice, especially if a shift in perception is required. The process takes time so don’t be discourage if results aren’t immediate.

Fifth, we grow as we go. We keep what works. We revise what doesn’t. The most important part is to enjoy our journey. Good things will happen to us when we stick to our commitment to ourselves regardless of the time it takes. The consequences of our actions, behaviors and decisions will empower us to reach our goals like never before.

Most importantly, we must be genuine with our intentions and maintain a congruence of our image brand with our true selves. If gaps exist between what we want to be and who we really are, we need to work to align the two. Otherwise perception management isn’t real, it’s only a faade.