#87 - Perception: The invisible force that shapes your career!
12 Nov 25
In leadership and career progression, what people perceive often matters as much, sometimes more, than what’s real. You can be competent, credible and capable. Yet if the perception around you doesn’t match that reality, your progress stalls.
This month, we unpack the idea that 'Perception is reality', what it really means, why it matters, and how to manage it consciously without becoming inauthentic.
What?
Perception is the lens through which others interpret your behaviour, actions and communication. It’s not just what you do, it’s how what you do is received.
At work, perception forms from thousands of micro-interactions:
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How you show up in meetings,
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How you respond under pressure,
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How you communicate (or don’t),
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What people hear about you, not just from you.
It’s the story others tell about you when you’re not in the room and whether it aligns with the one you tell yourself.
Why?
You might think your track record speaks for itself.
It doesn’t. People do.
For most mid-career professionals, the gap between intent and perception is the single biggest hidden barrier to advancement. You may believe you’re being strategic; others might see you as aloof. You think you’re being decisive; they perceive you as rigid.
When left unmanaged, perception becomes the silent hand shaping:
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Opportunities you’re offered (or not),
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Influence you hold within teams,
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Trust you command from stakeholders.
In essence: managing perception isn’t about manipulation.
It’s about alignment.
Ensuring that how others see you reflects who you really are and what you’re trying to achieve.
How?
Perception management starts with awareness, not image control. Here’s how:
- Diagnose your brand - Ask trusted peers and mentors: 'What three words would you use to describe me?' Compare that to how you’d describe yourself. The gap between the two is where your work begins.
- Observe your impact - Pay attention to how people react, not just to what they say. Do your ideas gain traction or stall? Are you invited into key discussions or left out? These are signals of how you’re being perceived.
- Be intentional - Every interaction communicates something, even silence. Decide what impression you want to leave before you enter a meeting, presentation or negotiation. This is not performance; it’s professional discipline.
- Close the gap - Align your behaviours and communication style with the perception you want to build. Small, consistent shifts in tone, visibility and follow-through compound faster than grand gestures.
- Reinforce intentionally - Authenticity isn’t about being unfiltered; it’s about being aligned. When your actions, words and values consistently reinforce each other, perception and reality become one.
In Summary
Perception isn’t reality...but it shapes it!
In a world where decisions are made based on impressions long before facts are verified, managing perception is a core leadership skill.
When you understand how you’re seen, and take responsibility for that narrative, you move from being evaluated to being understood.
And that’s where real influence begins.
Have a great week!
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