Should We Care About What Others Think of Us?
I recently presented a workshop on “Strategic Leadership: Utilizing the DiSC Profile”, and we were discussing perceptions; how we perceives ourselves, but also how others perceive us to be. I asked the question – “Should we care about what others think of us?” The initial response was silence. Finally, one gentleman spoke up and said “I don’t really care about what others think of me. I do not need to prove myself to others”. I asked this individual, if your boss perceived you to be organized, knowledgable, efficient, and personable, what is the likelihood that you would be considered for a potential promotion? This gentleman responded – there is a strong possibility that based on his or her opinion I would get it. I then asked “what is the likelihood of that promotion if your boss perceived you to be belligerent, unapproachable, and resistant to change”. He then said – “Point well taken.”
I then said, “we need to be concerned how others perceive us, because it will determine how they treat us, as well as what they are saying about us.” The perceptions that our co-workers, superiors, and most especially customers have of us has a significant impact on our own success and the success of our organizations. It may be the difference as to whether we are promoted or whether a customer chooses to retain or leave us.
