Perception Management

In the recent past, I was convinced by a very senior professional that "Perception is Reality". And in the overall scheme I thought, I knew what it meant and put some of my skills to manage perceptions. And as many of us would agree there is a very fine line between professional life and personal life, perception management also crept into my handling of personal relationships. Of course this is a trial and basis and I am aware at times - this will work and most of the time it will not.

It is so much easier to handle, Perception Management in a professional realm. The success is measurable in most simple ways - you are either accepted maybe through evaluations on the job or you are given feedback on the opportunities of improvement.

In the personal front, living is all about authenticity vs. acting, self-respect vs acceptance. If I am authentic, I am being judged by the social norms and rules. I am branded from being a rebel to being in-genuine. So i need to manage the perceptions and be accepted as a normal social animal. Hence I need to act hiding my needs and wants and be socially acceptable. In the process, there is hypocrisy in the relationships and then i lose my self-respect !! But who cares, as long as i am socially acceptable, the world around sees me as a happy-go-lucky go getter... And this honour should keep me going.. Outwardly successful .... but the Inner success has taken a beating ..... My inner self has taken a beating .... and to rely on anyone to help me out is mere foolishness !! Nothing wrong with anyone not willing to help... but to expect the thought process to be synchronous is wrong. Hence it is all about Perception Management !!

Manage my wants, needs and thoughts - driven entirely by the factors which contribute to inner and outer success... and manage others to see what they want to see :-) So much for Brand Identity through Perception Management !!