Misperceptions

Receiving and giving the right vibes

Learning to understand tone of voice, mannerisms, and body language in yourself and recognizing them in others can help tremendously in various situations.

Do you often wonder how you are perceived by others in social or professional settings?

Have you been passed up for a promotion at work because you’ve been told you have a “chip” on your shoulder?

Understanding body language can help you know which type of body language to use in specific situations. You will also better interpret the message the body language of others is conveying.

Humans quickly form opinions based on first impressions, and those opinions dictate their continued relationship with another person.

Perception, first step for forming opinions

We judge others according to their non-verbal, vocal, and verbal communication. People constantly make judgments about others and categorize them according to how they look, act, walk, talk, sound, and the vocabulary they use.

People may stereotype us according to our age, gender, color, nationality, or any number of other factors. When people misperceive us, it can be difficult for them to like, understand, trust, or respect us.

People form opinions about others; then, those opinions dictate their continued behavior. This can seriously impede our ability to communicate and collaborate with them.

When we don’t make a favorable first impression, are misperceived, or when someone else categorizes us inaccurately, the biggest communication problems we face are being disliked, misunderstood, distrusted, or disrespected. With these negative conditions in place, the going gets tough.

Can we change someone’s misperceptions?

The short answer is yes!

Certain techniques can help us repaint someone’s inaccurate mental picture of us. We must first determine if the person has a misperception about us or if the way they see us is really accurate.

Here’s a rule of thumb. If just one person, as compared to others, sees and treats us unfavorably, it’s probably a misperception. If most people see or treat us a certain way, that’s a response to how we’re generally perceived.

For example, does just one person interpret you as difficult or incapable, or does everyone seem to hold that same opinion?

When dealing with a misperception, we can correct the other person’s view of us.

Are you feeling misperceived at work or in other situations?

Let’s work together to change those misperceptions!

Give me a call at (856) 506-5159.