Perceptions

Perception management involves controlling information and influencing the perception of others.

Managers and supervisors particularly need skills to understand and manage other people's perceptions of them. If people harbour particular perceptions about you, it can either make it easy or difficult to lead or influence them. While you may not be able to manage everyone’s perception of you, you can become aware of the effect your behaviour has on others. The module on Emotional Intelligence covers this in more detail.

You are responsible for your own career. Most organisations offer opportunities for professional development and advancement – but you need to make sure you are considered for these opportunities. It is less and less likely that just being in an organisation is sufficient to get you promoted. You need to be noticed and you need to influence others' perceptions to give yourself a better chance of career options.

Some useful strategies to help clarify and manage perception include:

• Reflect each day about who you are and who you are not – use a journal to help you reflect and plan.
• Encourage informal feedback from a critical friend or trusted manager about how you are going.
• Use online tests or career development sessions to gauge your work habits, attitude or personality. This can help you reflect on your work life.
• Whether you ask for feedback from people or surveys, look for patterns in the feedback and think about what you can do to improve as a result of that feedback.