Perceiving and Understanding Accurately

Chapter three examines management theories about perception and applying the management skill of understanding and sense-making. Perception is not something we do only sometimes; it is a constant and natural process to all people that is endemic in all walks of life. Perception refers to the practice of selecting what information in our environment we will process and then using it to make sense of these phenomena to take action. Yet our senses simply cannot take in all possible information, so by definition we are selective sense-makers. In addition, people do not always form identical pictures of our surroundings, so we are also subjective sense-makers. These selective and subjective perceptions of the world influence individuals’ attitudes, actions, and outcomes. It also stands to reason that how other people feel about and treat us are based on their selective and subjective perceptions. And because of all these differences, managers can disagree about the nature of the challenges and opportunities that they and their organizations face. So what are we to do about this? I suggest three general approaches in the application of perception theory to practice: (1) Crystallization—Better understand the biases and traps in perception to improve the accuracy in which you see things, (2) Reconciliation—Work to integrate your and others different perspectives to develop enhanced understandings of complex issues, and (3) Capitalization—Use your knowledge of perceptual patterns (e.g., in meetings, negotiations, or speeches) to influence others and facilitate the successful completion of your goals and objectives.