Perception is not Reality - Vision and Communication Make the Difference

“Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.” – Albert Einstein

I have always been both fascinated and a little annoyed by the phrase, “perception is reality.” The ironic thing is how I interpret that statement and its use is a case of perception. In a world where ‘fake news’ is prevalent and discerning the facts from other people's perception is a challenge we must all face; defining the differences between the two is important.Perception is how you see and interpret a particular situation or event. In most cases, I would define that as your reality, not necessarily everyone else’s. We each have a unique view of the world around us and how it impacts us individually. That does not mean that other people will see or feel the same way about the same situation — processing that can help in how you lead those around you. It begins to build the case for empathy, curiosity, and listening.In many instances as leaders in a retail world, we possess information that others that work around us will not have. It can be as simple as knowing the context in which a project was developed or how the conversation was initiated. To others though, it seems short-sighted or entirely off base from the reality they are experiencing at the time. Without taking that into consideration, we may react in ways that continue to expand the disconnect between the two levels. Ultimately that can lead to mistrust, confusion, or outright disengagement.

Avoid decisions based on other’s perceptions

I have spent many years working in the corporate office environment. Trust me when I say it is very rare that field and store leaders say that they believe the people in the office have any clue what they are doing. (I’ll pause for a moment for all of the field leaders to chuckle and nod in agreement - I get it) I used to joke (and still do) after I took my first corporate role, “I used to think the people in the office were idiots, they didn’t know what they were doing - that’s why I wanted to come here and fix it - now I am one of them.” The reality was all about the perception I had from the perspective I had. In stores, you cannot know everything that is going on from a strategic standpoint, and in many cases, you may not know for some time (or at all) depending on the communication channels.

I used to think the people in the office were idiots; they didn’t know what they were doing - that’s why I wanted to come here and fix it - now I am one of them.

I learned quickly that if I always tried to lead or manage the perception that I would forever chase my tail only to be disappointed. Worse, nothing would ever improve because I was chasing so many different points of view. The perception of others WAS NOT reality, but it is their reality. Leadership is not a popularity contest. As leaders, our role becomes to understand the reality they are living and help connect it to the vision and reality we want others to experience.

Perception is attitude driven

The one thing we all control is how we act, respond, and choose to see any given activity. We control our attitude and perception is largely connected to how we choose to see the moment. I came across two great quotes that start to call out the differences between perception and reality and what we can do with that knowledge.

“Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.”

This connects directly back to the attitude choice we make. If we want to see a situation in a certain way, we will. If we can take a step back, reflect on the situation, and ask questions about why something is the way it is and see that it could be something different, we will have the ability to see the outcome in new ways. We each shape our own realities.

“When truth is blurred by lies and misinformation, perception becomes reality, and all is lost.”

As leaders, our role must be to continue to search for and share the facts of any given situation. We live in an age where there is no shortage of information and communication. A big part of our role has to be to help sift through that information and highlight the pieces that are provided from the correct sources and based on fact. When there is a lack of communication, then individuals will fill in the blanks with their own interpretations or the collection of partial information pieces that do not create the entire picture. That is where perception can lead to the danger zone.How you define perception or reality is largely a personal choice, but understand they are not the same to everyone. As leaders, our role is to close that gap between the two for as many people as we can. It is also important to understand that decisions cannot be made based on other’s perception. That is a fool’s errand and unproductive. Through effective visioning, communication, and coaching we can help others match their perception with the reality others are experiencing as well.How do you see perception and reality in your environment? Share your thoughts in the comments section.Join other retail leaders in continuing their development journey with Effective Retail Leader.com. SUBSCRIBE today to receive leadership tips directly to your inbox and monthly newsletters that provide many tools to help further develop your leadership skills. JOIN NOW!No spam ever - just leadership goodness.Photo by Mathilda Khoo on Unsplash