In the Kickass Koach podcast episode dropped Monday, I begin my reflections on the power of perception by examining the judgments we draw based on perceptions and the impact that creates.
For the newsletter I explore how perceptions when not tested with time, reflection and curiosity can mislead our responses.
Between the known and unknown is our perception which is what I share in this week’s videos on Instagram and LinkedIn. .
Finally, in this post, I focus on how to recognize the power of perception when it is granted undue influence and the significant role of a mindfulness practice in mitigating the damage. Additionally I seek to understand the role of bias.
Power in Perception Described
What makes perception so powerful? It’s power is derived by our very human need for simplicity and the comfort most of us experience when we have arrived at our conclusion or destination. In other words, we would all do better when we learn to enjoy the journey.
Last week I attempted to explore how fear of the unknowable is uniquely problematic. That exploration is far from complete. I think last week’s story clearly illustrates why understanding that’s so important to me.
I continue that exploration in examining perception. The highlighted phrase in the featured image articulates it well. It is in the unknowable middle between the known and unknown were our perception either helps or hinders our understanding. Because so much is stuck in this middle zone that perception is granted so much power.
In the podcast that dropped Monday, I offer that perception begins when the human brain receives data from the body’s five senses. The mind then processes and applies meaning to the sensory information. Because we evolved to make sense of things, we are not comfortable in this unknowable place so we quickly move most things to the known. Every time a stimulus comes to us, our brain does the efficient thing. We respond based on past experience. In doing so we make most things known. That is a powerful concept.
A story…
In the early to mid point of my career I accepted my dream job allowing me to build and nurture my own department. A team of 120 professionals with various capacities who helped me support our internal client, the operations, across a multitude of business units. We would evaluate performance measures as established by the executive and monitor progress in the achievement of broader goals. We collected and examined data and sought to understand it in context. Finally, we’d develop recommendations along with implementation strategies and often we would help in the detailed implementation of approved strategies. .
One of the business units opened offices in India. Initially this office was expected to serve American customers and clients. My team was expected to support the operation from North America. Performance was not improving as expected. In fact it got worse in the first year. We found our tools to assess and our recommendations were adding no value. My team and I struggled to understand how we could crack the seemingly intractable performance gaps.
A long time individual contributor came to me one day with an odd suggestion. I asked him what made him think of this and he admitted he had read about the importance of connection and relatedness to solving problems. He simplified it by reminding me when we had problems in Florida or Alberta, or Texas how we added members to our team over the years who brought context. He and I examined his thinking with my team of directors. Together we developed a plan to engage local people more deeply, since we had no resources to hire staff in India. The power of the expanded perspectives added value almost immediately.
Power in Perception Built on Bias
The blessing and the curse associated with the power of perception is the automation it offers to our existence. The significant downside is the source or result of the automation – bias. We are all biased. The significant bias at play in perception is expediency bias. We take the fastest short cut our brain can find to develop an understanding and before we test our conclusions we ACT. In fact we live in a world that values action over reflection. When we learn to reflect a bit longer our actions are more considered and wiser. When will we learn!
Our own experience is most readily available to us so it determines how we perceive the behaviours of others. In the podcast episode I shared a story of how I was knocked over last week by a man during rush hour downtown. He perceived the situation as an inconvenience for him. He didn’t intend to hurt anyone. His annoyance was framed by what he needed and his actions, the result of the conclusion that we were all in his way, impeding his progress. We all do this.
Ultimately, our perceptions are most influenced by our reptilian brains. Only when we stop to reflect, be more mindful, are we able to form a clearer picture and make better decisions.
Story continued…
When members of my team and I took the time to examine the observations and reflections of this one individual contributor we could see things we had all missed. The wisdom of one member of the team propelled us all to step back and look for broader signals. With this, we all started to see the potential obstacles more clearly. Seeing the obstacles allowed us to inquire more intentionally to those who could help us form meaningful solutions. Our perceptions of the situation were better informed.
We were shocked to realized the power of our limited, well-honed perceptions were our problem this time, not an asset. We were skilled at reviewing the data and building from a team approach. This time, failing because we had a blind spot. Not one of us understood the perspective of the India-based employees. Soon after we proved our conclusions with performance data demonstrating improvements, we won the resources to bring a team of 12 India-based employees for a North American tour. We made the case that they would support us while benefiting from embedded with all our different teams across various regions. Expanding our perceptive capacity in this way proved to move so much more into the known category while reminding us the unknown is still where we all have lessons to learn, if we are willing.
Power of Perception – the known & unknown in the BYI System
Our perceptions of events and people and circumstances are very powerful in creating success. Developing useful strategies is essential. Moreover, being deeply self-aware is essential to matching the strategy to the situation as my story above indicates. To get what we truly want in life we need to be willing to seek help and take risks. We also need to constantly be capable of putting checks on our perceptive abilities.
A healthy meaningful and full life is made possible with clarity about our values, beliefs, patterns and habits. Additionally, our quality of life is influenced and shaped by our unique blend of strengths and inclinations. Furthermore, a growth mindset and open-minded approach are foundations to sustaining this healthy sense of self.
The System
The Bank Your Impact (BYI) System is about both developing and embedding self-awareness. Furthermore, the benefits of expanded resilience, connections built on understanding the impact of belonging and an ability to bolster a professional and authentic presence are foundational. Perhaps more than the other two, developing a foundational resilience is critical to with standing that which moves us into burnout.
The current system incorporates 1:1 coaching, roundtable conversations; eventually I’ll add a neuro-social learning experience (currently only available in organizational contracts but will be added to the system for individual engagement in 2021).
My approach is based on the ICF (International Coaching Federation) standards. I’m meeting you (my clients) where you are, both as the coaching agreement begins, and in the moment that exists at the time of each conversation. Progress or growth is not a straight line. The ICA model is the framework for every conversation: Issue/Insight, Choice/Commitment, Action/Accountability. Over the past year I’ve been tightening the model to meet the needs of my clients.
Holding space to support my clients in:
- Developing meaningful insights
- Expanding/deepening perspective on those insights
- Building/designing a practice to try on new ways of being/seeing OR experiment for discovery
- Assessing progress, becoming agile in transfer of learning and application before developing additional insights
An organic experience
The experience is tailored around what you bring to each conversation, in my experience, there are common themes that arise including: self-awareness, mindfulness, mindset, communication, connections, and attitude. Self-awareness stands alone but is also a foundational theme. I have registered upwards of 40 sub-concepts that fit under each of these categories. Furthermore, I bring tools, skills and techniques to respond and guide our work together, informed by positive psychology, neuroscience, and management/leadership research.
Walk With Me, to Where You Want to Be
In April 2018, I was struck by, what felt like, a call of purpose; an insight of sorts. It inspired me to shift the focus of my practice. I’m now walking with 30 somethings. People who are at a pivotal spot in life and career. Whether THERE by age or spirit, I want to walk with people at this place in their life. This is a time in life when we are natural SEEKERS. We’re ready to do some self exploration & find the real meaning of our life? It is also a time when we are more likely to get stuck and make poor choices.
The research suggests people embrace their inner REBEL during their 20’s (the most rebellious after the toddler days in fact). If you are passive in your 20’s you will want to get curious about that too! Most of us slip quietly and comfortably though into ACCOMMODATOR in our 30’s. This documented pattern grabbed my attention and my mission was made clear. Moreover, I’m intent on resurfacing, or igniting, that inner rebel, whose perspective, now shaped with more experience, may offer insights many typically miss when insight and awareness matter most.
In June 2018 I took a course in story telling. I was intent on finding my “Big Why” to help me understand my purpose for shifting my practice. Ultimately, I landed on my story. It spans from my childhood, with a pivotal point in my early 20’s finally culminating in a significant career turning-point at the age of 37. This story revealed an unhealthy pattern while illuminating my new purpose. In fact, I feel motivated when remembering the moment of insight because this transition is difficult. Ultimately though, it adds meaning to my work. Listen below…
Feel like you’re living someone else’s destiny?
If that’s working for you, great. If it isn’t or it starts to be a problem, reach out. I welcome a conversation.
Willing to do the work to find more meaning?
With the skills to unpack the emotions and barriers and triggers and mindset challenges with the skills in my BYI system, participants begin to see the impact in their career and finally begin to discover what matters most to them. The bonus: they begin to see a path to get there. Join me…
My system is intended to be meaningful, relevant, accessible and affordable. With that in mind, there are many ways to engage with me. Below find THREE ways to get started, without spending a dime.
Walk with Me!
- REGISTERfor an ASK ROX RoundTable… TWO LIVE 50 minute engagements available at your desk or phone – the second Tuesday and the last Friday of every month – limited to 12 participants in each and FREE in 2019.
- BOOK a complimentary exploratory 1:1 conversation 20-30 minutes.
- SUBSCRIBE to my mailing list from my home page, receive an interactive exercise helping you cope with stress, and a weekly reflection.
In closing, I’d love to bring my work to your team or workplace, so:
- Book me to speak at your conference or to a group in your organization. My workshops on building resilience, improving workplace outcomes through relationships, and increasing performance are big hits!8