Perception Is Reality

One day I was talking with a retailer in my coaching program about the challenges she was having with some of her employee's perceptions of her.  She said she is perceived as aloof and headstrong even though she says she isn't.  I appreciate that she feels she isn't aloof and headstrong but as far as her staff is concerned perception is reality

I got my "perception is reality" wake-up call when we did 360 feedbacks at Bose. It was interesting to see how I was perceived by the people around me, especially as that perception differed among employees, colleagues and my boss.  Like my client, I didn't agree with how everyone perceived me, but the reality was that I had to learn to manage those perceptions so I could achieve the organizational and personal goals I wanted to achieve.

Store staffs have been known to develop some common perceptions of owners and managers that hinder a store's success.  Here are the two that stand out the most.

1. My manager/owner isn't open to the staff's ideas and opinions. This perception can happen for a couple reasons.  The most obvious one is that the manager/owner really isn't open to the staff's ideas and opinions.   If this is the case the manager/owner really needs to change their attitude because being close-minded has a negative impact on teamwork and the staff taking ownership.

Some managers really are open to the staff's ideas and opinions but their actions create a different perception.  Here are some of the ways this perception is formed:

• The manager/owner is distracted and unfocused when talking with the staff. Managers/owners can overcome the perception by giving employees their undivided attention.

• The manager/owner is too quick to point out why an idea won't work. Managers/owners can overcome the perception by talking through ideas rather than explaining why something won't work.

• The manager/owner is too fast to say yes or no to an idea. The staff rarely remembers how fast you accept an idea but they will never forget when you're quick to say no.  Managers/owners can overcome the perception by taking extra time before getting back to an employee with a thumbs up or down on their idea or opinion.

• The manager/owner doesn't solicit the staff's opinion as often as they should. While many managers/owners are open to suggestions, they just get too busy to ask.  Managers/owners can overcome the perception by using part of a staff meeting to brainstorm ideas or to put up a brainstorming sheet in the backroom to solicit input.

2. My manager/owner spends all of their time off the floor in the office.  With many retailers this not just a perception, it is indeed reality. But with others it's just a perception because even though the manager/owner is on the floor a lot, there are times when the staff needs them and inevitably it's those moments that they're not on the floor.

Here are some of the ways this perception is formed:

• The manager/owner does their office work during the predictably slow times. While this seems like a smart time to work in the back, the challenge is that during the slow times there is usually a small staff in the store besides the manager/owner.  To overcome the perception the manager/owner should remind the staff to be sure to interrupt them the minute the store starts to get busy. Employees don't like to interrupt the manager/owner when they're in the office so as a result they don't let the manager/owner know when they need help.

• The staff has no idea what the manager/owner does in the office so they just assume they're in the office so they don't have to be on the floor.  I'd be remiss not to admit that I haven't done that myself once or twice.  But more often than not owners/managers are doing important work in the office, not avoiding being on the floor. You can overcome this perception by telling the staff what you'll be doing in the back.  Even better, if the store is slow see if there is a way the staff can contribute to getting it done.  Just remind them to stop working on it and put it away if a customer comes in the store.

• Picking the wrong time to work in the office.  Just because there are a few slow moments on a Saturday doesn't mean a manager/owner should try to do office work.  Without fail the store will get busy and the manager/owner will be needed on the floor.  On peak days and times stay on the floor unless there is an emergency.

There are many ways for a staff or a customer to form a perception that becomes their reality. Your role as the manager or owner is to manage your actions to make sure that your reality is their reality. What are some of the way your actions as an owner or manager are misperceived by your staff or managers?

Comments

[Chuck McKay]

I went to a former boss with an idea. He said, "Chuck, if I was a good manager I'd ask you questions about this idea, and in the process of answering you'd conclude that the idea isn't that good. Today I don't have time to be a good manager. Your idea isn't workable."

It became a running joke between us for years. "Don't have time to be a good manager. Bad idea."

[Doug]

Love it. And I hate to admit I can relate.

My DEG colleague Laurie London use to work for me at Bose and she would come into my office and say, "How about we just skip the part where you pretend to consider my idea and move on to what you really want to do?"