There is an old saying that perception is reality. I would like to take some time to unveil the truth behind what perception is. Perception is what someone believes something to be, and therefore, to them it becomes their reality. That does NOT mean it is the actual reality, or the truth, yet it does provide for an obstacle in leading and accomplishing progress.
The reality is that a leaders needs to be able to lead, down and up, across and through and the perception of others can hinder your leadership. The key point, however, is that to be successful as a leader, your vision, your methodology, your the ability to do the right thing, to remain focused on the larger goal and always have others' interests in mind is what makes you successful. Trying to correct every misconception (or lack of reality) for each person is not feasible.
There is always going to be someone, somewhere, that perceives you not as your really are. There is always someone that will bring you down, that says you aren't able or equipped. There is always someone that will find fault in your work, and potentially personalize their message to be about you.
This is what I call the perceptions gap. This is the difference between reality and their perceived reality.
The caution here, do not fall into the trap. Here are the things to do to avoid reacting, or worse, having your self worth be based on the opinion of others and simply their perception of your performance.
Make sure that you surround yourself with trusted leaders that give you honest feedback. Have people that will be honest about your work ethic, about your vision, about who you are and what you do. This can be family, friends, co workers, peers, bosses, anyone. The quantity should be between 2-5 people, remember these are people you will allow in to the deepest part of your life.
Always reflect and be honest with yourself. You know in your gut when you are doing your best, or not. That deep part inside that says the direction is failing, means it probably is. The opinion of your trusted advisers does matter, yet you know yourself the best.
Set goals that meet up with your vision and objectives. I realize that many times in the workplace those are set for us, and we can't always change ours. Saying that, are you accomplishing what is set before you. Regardless of the many critics out there, if you are in alignment with your (or your set goals) then press ahead.
Communicate with others as much as possible. Sharing the truth, the reality of what is occurring helps to eliminate the rumors and the perception gap. Spend time sharing what is really happening, how it meets the goals and ultimately the vision. By consistently communicating (see post on communication) you inform the reality and ultimately, change the perception.
Your goal, is not to meet their perception, it is to influence it, and by doing so you close the gap and better align them to reality.
I had a coaching client once who said, "Reality always bats last and carries a big stick!" So true, eh?
ReplyDeleteI was significantly influenced by Jerry Weinberg's line from his book The Secrets of Consulting: "It may look like a crisis but it's only the end of an illusion."
Michael Roberto wrote a great book entitled Know What You Don't Know. It has some very helpful insights on getting a better grasp of reality. My interview with Michael can be found here.
As leaders it's easy to fall into the trap of believing the illusion, managing the perception instead of the reality. You do a great job in this post of making it clear both are important. Nice job, as always, Randy!