One of the hardest things I share with transitioning service members – who’ve spent a great deal of their life and career serving a purpose greater than themselves – is that in the civilian world, perception matters.
Does it count in the military? Sure, but the rules of engagement are different. Rank, status, performance and job guidelines heavily impact the opportunities you attract. In the private sector, how others perceive you sometimes matters more than your previous experience or skills.
How Perception is Formed
As human beings we perceive. We form beliefs, opinions, feelings and views based on many things, including emotional filters, past experiences, our perspective and context, our cultural, religious, political or social views and more. Scientists might say that our senses take in information, and our brain interprets it.
Perception is a human behavior. We form perceptions and views instantly to make sense of the world around us. Do I feel safe? Is that a good opportunity? Do I like that person?
Why Perception Matters
I often hear, “If I’m good, they should want to hire or promote me.” Your track record alone should predict your future career growth, right? But it doesn’t. If you’re perceived by your boss and colleagues as non-collaborative, hard to work with and aloof, they might withhold endorsement for career opportunities, chances to be more visible with senior leaders and promotions.
Likewise, if your skills and experience are aligned and key decision makers like your boss or a hiring manager perceive you as growth oriented, collaborative and intelligent they could be more inclined to want to help you succeed.
Perception (with the right people) matters. Not everyone will like you. Not everyone will admire you or want to help you, but the people who matter are the ones who hold the key to growing your career. Don’t focus on getting everyone to see you correctly. You will never please everyone. If someone matters to your career, do all you can to adjust their perception. If they don’t matter, then let it be.
The Challenge with Perception
Have you ever been wrongly judged? Maybe someone formed a perception of you that’s inaccurate or incomplete. Well, join the club.
The challenge with perception is that it’s often wrong. Maybe they knew someone who you remind them of, and they transferred their negative feelings to you. Perhaps they still view you as the person you were when you first joined the team even though you’ve grown quite a bit since those early days. Maybe they haven't taken the time to get to know you but dismissed you already for no reason. If asked to describe how they perceive you, their views could feel real to them but have little basis in the reality you know.
How to Drive Positive Perception
If someone doesn’t have a sense about who you are, or if their perception is erroneous, there are ways you can remedy this.
First, if they don’t know you, but their impression of you is important to your career, make yourself visible. Find opportunities to showcase your skills and talents, highlight your professional passions and interests and help them to see you correctly.
Some ideas:
- Connect on LinkedIn and then share views and knowledge that elevate your standing and visibility
- Speak up in meetings with insights that you’ve thought through and prepared in advance
- Encourage your network (who know this person well) to advocate on your behalf, enhancing your name and value to this person
If someone important to your career sees you negatively or incorrectly, do all you can to fix it. While we can’t change people, we can move their perception of us to more closely align with who we really are. For example, if your boss casually describes you as “not leadership material,” remedy the perception by emphasizing your desire to grow your career and then reinforce the assertion with examples when you’ve assumed leadership roles.
A few more ideas:
- Enlist the support of others who can vouch for your credibility, vision and leadership potential
- Assert key words that align with how you want to be known. Consistently refer to yourself by value-driven phrases and words that support your ideal reputation to reframe the narrative around how you’re seen. It’s vital that your words are backed up by action, as simply saying you’re a leader isn’t enough. Show the proof.
- Seek opportunities to demonstrate your talents and potential. Raise your hand to lead key initiatives, give presentations and get time in front of influential company leaders. This will help to pivot the negative perception someone might have about you and your abilities.
While perception might feel unfair, it is real. Instead of leaving it to chance that you’ll be perceived the way you want, take control and drive positive perception to grow your career.
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