Doors of Perception: Getting Others to Notice the New You

by Talula Cartwright

For leaders, making changes in themselves to improve their effectiveness is only half the battle. They also need to affect people's perceptions so that these newfound leadership skills will be noticed. This requires some public relations, among other things.

Like beauty, leadership qualities are in the eye of the beholder. People react based on what they see and hear, not necessarily on what is really there and what is really said. What is perceived as a leadership strength by one observer may be viewed as a leadership weakness by another.

Some employees may see a leader's flexibility as a strength, for instance, whereas others may perceive that same flexibility as indecisiveness and wishy-washiness. Likewise, leaders may believe that they are effective and efficient even when their followers have an opinion that is quite the opposite. It doesn't matter whose perception is right and whose is wrong; what does matter is that what people perceive, they believe.

What is perception? Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary defines it as “observation,” as “awareness of the elements of environment through physical sensation,” and as “physical sensation interpreted in the light of experience.” In the leadership realm, perception may be defined as awareness of a leader's effectiveness in an organization, based on introspective assessment and objective internal and external feedback.

The perception of a leadership quality as a strength or a weakness depends largely on the situational context. In an environment of rapid change, for instance, where a leader needs to be able to pivot and change course quickly and react smoothly to shifting circumstances, flexibility may be judged as a strength. In a more stable and secure environment, however, where a leader's ability to make sound decisions that will help the organization succeed over the long term is more critical, a rigid decisiveness may be seen as the more valued quality.

This wild card of perception is a crucial consideration as leaders assess their strengths and weaknesses and create developmental plans. Actually improving one's effectiveness is only half the battle; leaders also need to be focused on altering people's perceptions of that effectiveness. This requires some public relations, among other things.

Because effectiveness is judged differently in different environments, the first key to an effective developmental plan is an accurate assessment. This helps leaders know whether they need to change themselves, change the way they “market” themselves, or do some of both.