Perception is Reality
June 7, 2008
Do your coworkers like you? Does your boss think you are impressive? Do your subordinates think you are fair? How are you perceived?
Questions like these cross everyone’s mind every day, and the answers we give ourselves help us determine how to get along in the world. Knowing the extent to which your coworkers like you might make you more or less likely to invite them out to lunch. When you get the impression that your boss is disappointed in you, you can tell that it is time to put more effort into your work.
Having an accurate understanding of what others think of you can be essential to getting along in life, and to getting ahead in the workplace.
Much of everyday behavior is directed toward understanding, responding to, or attempting to change how we are seen by the people around us. We can be easily led astray, however, by common errors in these perceptions. New research shows us that when we want to better understand how others see us, we should start by changing the way we look at ourselves.
Nicholas Epley, assistant professor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, presents: Know What I’m Thinking? Understanding How We Can Improve Our “Mind Reading” Skills, at the GSB Capital Ideas website.
According to the authors:
If we do not have a good sense for the things people in our workplace are thinking when they look at us, the authors suggest that we could find ourselves investing our time and energy in the wrong ways.
Stop by their website, read the article, watch the video interview, and see The Big Picture.
Comments
Advertisement
-
Business News Links
-
Financial News Radio
