What Really Good Managers Think (what's their perceptions)

Coach: Good morning, Jordan. Ready for our Friday discussion?

Manager: Morning, Coach. Absolutely. Let's dive into the perceptions articles from this week. It's been a fascinating topic.

Coach: Definitely. Let's start with how work perceptions differ from personal perceptions. At work, our perceptions are often influenced by professional goals, deadlines, and team dynamics, whereas personal perceptions are shaped by our relationships, emotions, and personal experiences.

Manager: That’s true. At work, we tend to focus more on outcomes and efficiency, while in our personal lives, we prioritize feelings and connections. It’s important to recognize this distinction because it helps us understand the context behind our reactions and decisions in different settings at work. I have always believed that if I totalled my car on my commute to work this morning it would be difficult to completely focus and have a pure perception about all of the pieces of my work without "car thoughts", influencing my perceptions during the day. Especially when the bad feelings come as I think about solutions.

Coach: Wow, that is insightful. so, when it comes to aligning our perceptions at work—this is crucial to be able to focus on work and especilly for a team to maintain cohesiveness. When team members have a shared understanding of goals and processes, it seems logical that it minimizes misunderstandings and conflicts. How do you see this playing out in your teams?

Manager: Aligning perceptions is challenging but really important. We’ve been working on clear communication and setting common goals. Regular team meetings and #feedback sessions help ensure everyone is on the same page. However, it requires continuous effort. I would say the most important part of getting to a more generative culture where feedback is everything, is to explain and remind team members why we are working on feedback, how we can do it well and then woking on it consistently.

Coach: Continuous effort indeed. It’s also important to address what happens when perceptions clash at work. Misaligned perceptions can lead to conflicts and reduced productivity. It’s vital to address these clashes early on. Have you encountered any such issues recently?

Manager: Yes, we had a situation last week where two team members had different views on how to approach a project. It created tension, and one went silent becaue she felt her idea was overlooked. We were able resolve the different perceptions through honest copnversation and honest feedback. We allowed everyone to share their perspectives openly and we took the best of all of the options including some of her input and created a solution that was better than the proposed. It reminded me of how critical it is to understand each other’s viewpoints.

Coach: That’s a great example. Understanding that perceptions are critical at work is key to managing a team effectively. Awareness of our own perceptions and being able to stop and take stock of them helps in reacting appropriately. It’s about distinguishing between objective facts and our interpretations.

Manager: Yes, and that’s not always easy. I’ve been trying to practice this by taking a moment to reflect before responding, especially in heated situations. It helps me avoid jumping to conclusions and reacting defensively. I mean most often the defensivemness we feel comes without warning and we can sometimes be adamant about something not realizing that we are defending a position, idea or perspective where we have not have considered every possibility.

Coach: That seems to be the holy grail- being able to slow our reactions to our immediate perceptions in various situations. This kind of momentary reflection gets easier with practice. One way to practice this is defining the difference between physical facts and our interpretations. For instance, if someone misses a deadline, the fact is the deadline was missed. The interpretation might be that the person is unreliable, but that’s just one possible perspective.

Manager: Absolutely. I’ve noticed that asking myself if my perspective is helping can be very useful. If my interpretation isn’t constructive, I try to reassess and look for a more positive or neutral viewpoint.

Coach: That’s a great practice. It ties into avoiding defensiveness by asking if our perspective is helpful. Defensive reactions often stem from perceived threats to our ego or position. By questioning our perspective, we can respond more constructively.

Manager: Right, and it encourages open dialogue. Instead of getting defensive, I try to ask more questions to understand the other person’s point of view. It’s a practice I’m still working on, but it’s making a difference in how conflicts are resolved.

Coach: That’s excellent progress, Jordan. Understanding and managing perceptions is a continuous journey. Keep practicing, and you’ll see even more positive changes in your team dynamics.

Manager: Thanks, Coach. These discussions are really helping me refine my approach. Looking forward to our next session.

Coach: Same here, Jordan. Have a great weekend and keep reflecting on those perceptions!