Discerning “True” from “False” in the modern workplace!
Modernity has
thought us many things, one of which is that if we are to be successful in
today’s world, we need to be functional in a group setting. Whether that is
with a colleague in a new business or in a large department of a multinational
company, group dynamics are inescapable presenting opportunities and threats to
us all as professionals.
So, why is
perception so important in a group setting? In my view, it’s important for two
reasons:
No 1. We need
to fully aware of and project our “best real self” onto others in the group
setting in order to effectively communicate and contribute in a functional
manner.
No 2. We need
to understand how others are projecting themselves
and what it tells us about our colleague(s), their intentions and contributions
to the group.
Perception is
defined as “the process of recognizing and interpreting sensory stimuli”. That same process can become muddied if we don’t fully recognize and
interpret “sensory stimuli” in the form of actions, inactions, words and/or
inflections coming from us and our colleagues in a group setting. Part recognition of our colleagues and their
disposition is normal with trust and professional acknowledgement making up the
balance of understanding that allows us to function in the group setting.
That said, self-perception theory identifies
a real weakness in this standing supposition, which is if we positively infer
certain positions, actions and standards from our ‘part understanding’ of our
colleagues, we unwittingly ‘lie’ to ourselves (making it a truth) about their
disposition, intent and possible threat posed. Obviously if positively inferred
“assumptions” turn out to be true, then happy days! However, if we are mistaken
by misperceiving a bad colleague for a good one, what can we can do to increase
what we are actually know about our colleague(s) versus what we ‘think’ we
know’?
Perceive
Yourself. Most people don’t take time out to understand
how they perceive themselves. “Am I good, bad or indifferent?” is a loaded yet
valuable question! Self-appraisal, once tentatively formed then needs to be
understood through the eyes of ones family members and friends, etc. It’s a
reality check on who you are from the inside out and the outside in.
Body
Language. Why not watch out for indicators such as
posture, demeanor, arrogance/aggression, over gesturing, poor eye contact, deception,
feigning (their ‘face’ tells you an alarming lie, their mouth tells you a charming
half truth to cover bad behavior as much as the topic at hand).
Group
Setting. The group setting is where the interaction
takes place. What standing do you and your colleagues who affect your daily
life have in it? Social status is just as important as legitimate status in
just about everything the group does.
Bad
Behaviour. Do colleagues engage in aggressive nature of
any kind, do they put themselves ahead of others and/or act in a negative/passive
aggressive manner? These bad behaviours are highly corrosive in a group
setting.
Deception.
Do colleagues engage in deceptive behaviour telling
you everything is ok when it is not? Do they leave things to the last minute
before contacting you to “firefight” the issue? Do they leave you wondering if
you can trust them?
Manipulation.
Do colleagues regularly approach you with how they
are overworked and in crises yet don’t contact the boss or suffer any long term
effects from the “crises”? Do they ask regularly about your progress with view
to you offering assistance to them? Are they emotional blackmailers? Do they
want to get involved in EVERY project that comes your way but are never around
when work is being handed out? Do they network with other staff daily yet
appear to be ‘behind and overworked’?
Politics/Organisational
Setting. This can often provide a kernel clue as to
what is expected; e.g. a collaborative culture will normally expect honest team
players whereas a hierarchical culture will often reward “players” for their maneuvering
to gain acclaim paying less attention to how they did it. If your company
culture in reality supports daily behaviour like deception, then it’s
reasonable to expect it in more of your colleagues, thus very important to not
infer it’s absent in those around you.
When our world
appears wonderful and it really is; we don’t pay much attention to perception
mapping out facts about people in our workplace. However, when we are exposed
to a darker reality, the wonderful perception we hold about our group becomes changed.
We then need to know what is literally in front of us in order to map out a
solution and a better future with or without the group we hold so dear. By
assuming less and knowing more in the good times, we gain more control over our
future lessening the chances of bad times coming through understanding by
aligning our perception with our reality.
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