Chapter 2
Seven Influencers on Perception
What we perceive and understand depends upon what we are.
—Aldous Huxley English writer, author of Brave New World
Other people's perception is influenced by a variety of factors that are out of your control. Whether it's the environment in which you grew up, the culture of which you have been a part, your personality, your life experiences, or your family's influence—all of these areas can affect how your colleagues and managers perceive you.
Figure 2.1 displays the seven most common influencers on perception. I have compiled these elements during 15 years of extensive research gathered while working with and interviewing coaching clients from a variety of cultures around the world.
Figure 2.1 The Seven Influencers on Perception
1. Cultural Background
Diverse cultural differences exist around the world. An individual's cultural background directly influences how he or she behaves at work. In turn, this influence can affect the perception others develop.
Examples: A person from India works in an American technology company. He has been raised and taught not to speak up, stand out, bring attention to himself, or become too visible.
A coworker from Japan may appear to be agreeable even though he doesn't like what he is hearing, because he was taught in his native culture that it is impolite to say no, create conflict, or provide resistance. ...
