Perception Matters

With most of the world falling into an emotional funk about the economy, its time for leaders to stop focusing on problems and start thinking about solutions. Ultimately, the free market will have to provide the permanent solutions for our economic challenges. Until that happens, we are going to have to create strategies for ourselves and our businesses that will allow us to weather the storm and thrive! Because the economy can’t be changed by any single person or organization, it creates a lot of individual and organizational fear and concern. We tend to feel helpless in the face of such huge challenges that seem beyond our control. A huge part of our individual success will hinge on the perceptions we have about our ability to be successful, in spite of hard times. Perception is reality, even if its not the truth and our perceptions are the engine of our action and the results we get. That is why perception matters!

 

Organizational perceptions about the economy may become the most strategic factor in how well any business will respond to the economic downturn. Companies that are able to move beyond the obvious problems and move toward positive solutions and identify new opportunities are going to have a competitive advantage over businesses frozen in fear about the future. Every leader should understand that the organizational perceptions of their team must be addressed. Leaders must proactively involve themselves in communication strategies that promote healthy perceptions about their businesses, their products and their future. Simply put, leaders have to take on the challenge of persuading their teams that the world is not coming to an end and that opportunity continues to exist, even in the worst of times.