In our professional lives our image drives our success. Our image is how others see us. Public figures and idols deal with this concept routinely. An image is a cumulative effect of sending a repeated message, either deliberately or otherwise. If a certain message is sent accidentally, then it does not have a cumulative effect. Repeated “accidents” have the same effect as if you behave that way to project that message! This article explores the effect your image has on your career. It shows ways to understand what image others hold of you and how you can change that image to improve your chances of career growth and success.
Image and identity are two complementary attributes about an individual. While an image is a perception created in others’ minds, an identity is who you are. A person’s identity does not change, but their image can. Metaphorically, one’s identity is like the tree and their image, its shadow.
The Importance of Image
Our interactions with others and how we behave in conducting our affairs leave a “footprint” that, over time, conveys something unique about us. This is a perception that others form and hold about how we behave in a predictable way. Building an image takes time, so to change it takes a special effort. Once people form an expectation about you their opinions about you are then driven by that perception. In the corporate world one’s image can be a major factor in their success; conversely, a poorly managed image can result in the person missing out on opportunities without their being even aware of the missed opportunities. Managing one’s image goes beyond doing a good job and being a good employee.
When it comes to a major promotion, good job performance is expected. Such attributes can be viewed as “context,” where everyone qualified for a promotion may exhibit that same context. What differentiates the winner is the “core” competency that they exhibit that differentiates them from the rest. Many times it is difficult to articulate the “core” competency; it can be called their je ne sais quoa! To focus on improving your chances for career progression knowing how others view you (your image) is important because it is this image that can make or break your chances of success in the corporate world and outside. Carefully crafting and nurturing an image are critical as one moves up on the career ladder.
Your image is a filter that others wear to “see” you. So, when they are wearing that filter they may not even “see” you if you drastically change your image. This is often proven easily in how celebrities dodge paparazzi by changing their appearance (not looks) or their usually accepted accouterments. The same strategy can be used in the corporate world to your advantage.
The following prescription is suggested for improving your image in a positive way:
- First make an evaluation of why you want to change your image. Changing your image takes consistent, diligent, and sometimes ego-deflating work, unless you have an army of PR pros helping you full time. If you are happy with your situation and that you don’t care what others think of you and your work you may not need to go through this process. The only judge of your work is your boss, and if you are getting good reports on your performance you may have little to worry about in that department.
- If you come to the conclusion that for you to move ahead in your career, either within your own company or outside, then you need to make an assessment of what is blocking you. Typical blocks for moving ahead are: marginal job performance, limited social skills, limited interpersonal skills, poor self-esteem, lack of self-confidence, and so on. You must make a list of these factors so that you have some starting point. Rank these factors from your own perspective.
- Make a list of six to eight people (this is your advisory team) from your own work group. This sample should reflect a good cross-section for a 360-degree review. A few of your colleagues, one or two superiors, one or two junior colleagues, and any outside stake holders who work with you. This 360-degree review you are undertaking for your own self-initiated development is informal and is different from your departmental review that is done periodically. In fact, you may not even need to call it a 360 precisely to avoid this conflict with the formal process.
- Approach each person with a personal plea suggesting that you have decided to seek outside help to improve yourself and that you are approaching them for some constructive feedback. Make a list of 10-15 items that relate to work and rank them in priority that is dictated by why you are doing this exercise in the first place. For example, if you think that your communication skills need improvement (see #2) and that repeatedly comes out as something needing your attention, then this would be ranked #1 and so on.
- After an initial meeting with each individual you have selected, set up a time to meet with them for a longer meeting (one hour if they allow it). In these meetings go through each of the 10-15 items with every person and listen to how you can improve in the areas in which they have specific actionable feedback. You must use this time wisely for things such as getting actionable feedback and having specific inputs critical for your success. One key element of success: regardless of how harsh the feedback is, you must not get defensive, but merely seek clarification. If you get defensive the entire process will be vitiated and you will get very little actionable feedback from then on. As you listen to their inputs about what you must improve, your first “yes, but” will permanently damage your chances for any useful inputs from then on!
- Once you make the first round with the entire group, look for patterns and find common themes. Make a summary of the entire discovery and distribute to all the members within your group who gave you their feedback. Thank them for their insights and time and give them your concise action plan on how things are going to change for you as a result of this process. Remember, they are all doing this to personally help you and are not at all obligated in any way to give you their time.
- Immediately after each meeting, thank the person with whom you met and specifically state what helped you. Each person is making an investment in your development, both in time and emotions. Be mindful that to do this well, each person will deal with their own difficulties in giving you an actionable input.
- After the first round with your advisory team, summarize the themes and outline what they mean to you in terms of the actions you are going to take to change yourself, and, more importantly, how they will experience it working with the changing you. This is a difficult thing to do, but done well, can set yourself on the right path to transform your image.
- Set up another time to meet (three months after you have sent the initial discovery), when you would be checking your progress on each of the items to which you have committed for making improvements. Ask each person how much improvement (on a scale of 1-10) they have observed during this three month period.
- Once you have a sense of your change momentum you may want to adjust the frequency of your future meetings accordingly.
- Make an assessment of what is working and what is not. Without being a pest, informally check with your close associates (outside of your advisory team) if they mention something spontaneously of what they are observing about the changes in you. Do not push it if inappropriate. The interesting outcome of using this 360-degree approach is that even though you may not have changes all that much in what you actually do, the process has a built in “perceptual amplifier.” This means that the mere fact that you have taken this approach to self-improvement forces others to see the change even before it is apparent even to you. A good thing!
- One of the most immediate ways to show a change in your image is your wardrobe. If that is one of the areas that comes up, or even if you suspect that you could benefit from a makeover, get yourself some nice wardrobe and accessorize it so that you are seen as someone who is changing their image almost as others see you parading in your new wardrobe. After a few days of practice you will develop a level of comfort with your new look and will feel less and less conscious about the change in your looks.
- The best way to stay on track is change something every day that you think will take you in the direction that you seek. This should also be seen by others around you so that your change is seen publicly.
- Managing the change is critical to success. Too much change too fast can wear on others; too slow a change may not even be notices by others. Making an initial fast change and then suffering from a flameout is something you must avoid. If you must, seek help from a coach, mentor, or someone you trust.
Changing you image is a good move to improve you prospects at work. It will help you outside your work as well!