Perception: The Silent Career Killer and How to Outsmart It
By Nancy Fredericks
Nancy Fredericks pens Women Lead Change's "Mindful Mondays" column, appearing the second Monday of every month. Fredericks is a preeminent Business Executive Strategist, Author and Thought Leader. Corporations like Johnson & Johnson, PepsiCo, Adobe, Allergan and Transamerica have retained her to optimize individual and organizational performance. You can find her at www.thrivewithnancy.com. The views of Nancy Frederick's blogs represent her own and not necessarily the views of Women Lead Change.
Perception is a moving target, with as many interpretations as there are people involved. Let me begin unpacking what I mean.
The Summer Illusion
Picture this: I’m swinging in the backyard, enjoying the sweet tranquility of the sun, a soft breeze, and peaceful silence. All right in my world, until I heard a sound I couldn’t quite identify. Then came the delighted recognition: geese honking as they fly upriver. Nature was adding a musical note to my afternoon. How fun!
Moments later, the sound grew louder, almost like the geese swooped down over my backyard. But, in reality, it wasn’t geese in the sky. Instead, I spied an old, rusty three-wheel bike pedaling noisily along the bike path. The joy of nature’s gift instantly morphed into the jarring noise of civilization.
The Lesson
That’s perception: you believe you are right until you’re not. And this happens to everyone—not just you!
Sure, this may be a humorous, non-career-threatening example of perception. But what if, instead of thinking you heard majestic geese, you bought into the pitch of a smooth-talking vendor for an important project, only to discover a squeaky bike project that lost money for your company? Or you may believe a new leader is harming your organization’s culture, but your interpretation was inaccurate. These misperceptions in business can be harmful and are rarely innocuous.
The Cost of Misperception
Those who learn to test their perceptions of ideas, people, and business are more successful than those who never challenge themselves. On the flip side, only assessing a situation to confirm what you “already know” is a flawed approach. You never give yourself a chance to learn or allow fresh thoughts to change you for the good. This mindset negatively impacts your career, leading to missed opportunities, poor decision-making, and stagnant professional growth.
The Power of Self-Awareness
Breakthroughs occur only when you pause and embrace a self-aware gut check that starts with asking questions of yourself:
- Have you clearly defined the desired outcome? If not, consider that a lack of clarity is often the breeding ground for misperceptions.
- Are you indeed self-aware? Do you have a strong sense of your strengths and weaknesses? If you said yes, consider what Dr. Tasha Eurich’s research reveals: while 95% of people believe they’re self-aware, only 10% to 15% are.
- Did you achieve the results you intended through others? If not, what can you do differently in the future?
- Do you consistently identify the biases and viewpoints that may be holding your career back from reaching its full potential?
- Do you seek conversations with others who hold viewpoints contrary to yours, knowing that reflecting on feedback is crucial?
- Do you acknowledge others’ misperceptions or mistakes as soon as you recognize them?
A Focus on Self-Improvement
Notice that my suggestions only focus on you. Why? If you don’t manage your perceptions, you’ll face a slow career decline. Deprived of this wisdom is the difference between someone struggling with success and someone thriving consistently.
Final Thoughts
Perception is powerful, and grappling with its frustrations requires self-awareness and a willingness to challenge your assumptions. By embracing these strategies, you can transform misperceptions into opportunities for growth and success.
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