The 7 Rules of Perception

Not everything in life is assured.

But this one rule – The Rule of Perception – is absolute.

It doesn’t matter who you are, or what your objective is you will never find evidence to prove this wrong.

It impacts us in every aspect of our lives; dating, gaining a promotion, sex and business – perception will get you every single time and work to your advantage or destroy your hopes.

The unfortunate truth is that it is more complicated than Lady G’s wardrobe changes. So if you’re willing to cast off your own perceptions on The Rule of Perception join me now for a quick look at what makes a ‘perceived’ representation of an individual (namely you) and how you can apply it to your advantage in ANY situation.

Albert Mehrabian discovered that there are three elements to all face-to-face communication which impact upon our ‘liking’ of another individual. They are made up of; 7% words, 38% tone of voice and a staggering 55% body language/visual.

What the study fails to reveal however that there are other elements that can sway our perception of an individual within a nanosecond positively or negatively. Here they are...

Perception #1: Visual

Your visual presentation provides back up support to everything you do and say – otherwise known as ‘visual shorthand.’ Looking the part for the environment you’re entering will dictate how others treat you, whether it be at work or a party, out networking or shopping.

Take a good hard look at yourself before you walk out your front door in the morning,   is your; posture straight, hair styled appropriately, shoes fitting for the occasion, clothes clean and tidy and reflect your own personal style whilst fitting and complementary to the environment you’re about to walk into?

Finer distinctions always make the largest impact when dressing for your target audience no matter ‘who’ you are.
 

Perception #2: Tone

The words we speak are only a small element to creating a beneficial ‘perceived’ representation of ourselves to others.

We firstly respond to the sounds being presented (38% tone), then and only then we respond to what is actually being said. Whatever the situation ensure you speak clearly, vary your tone to keep interest and change pace to focus on key parts of your message and drive home particular points.

Monotone speakers do little to engage, influence and impact others. Not only that but they also come across as placid and lacking motivation and passion – not the impression you want to impart on prospective clients.
 

Perception #3: Energy

The non-verbal are just as important when developing a strong personal brand. Have you ever walked away from an individual feeling like they just sucked the life right out of you (and not in a good way either)!?

Energetically they drained you with their interaction. If you want to create a beneficial perception of yourself no matter what the occasion turn up or turn down your energy to influence outcomes. Think of energy being on a sliding scale, 0 being a negative energetic exchange, 5 being a neutral experience and 10 being off the radar.

At a level 5 no one will remember who you are and anything less they will develop a negative representation of who you are. The ideal is to shift someone from 5 – 8 within each interaction. Shifting them up and down the top end of the scale will create a positive representation and shift them energetically.

The person with the highest energy will always win the sale and influence as they are perceived to be the most passionate and driven to complete the project at hand.

Keep check of your energy levels prior to entering any meeting or influencing any key party.
 

Perception #4: Body Language

When you understand body language your power to influence others dramatically increases.

The benefits include; being able to “read between the lines” and decode any silent signals being given off - and position your ‘self’ to make a great impact on others.

Body language is communicated via; posture, facial expressions, mirroring, eye contact, head position, gestures, use-of-space, eye movement and distance in relation to others. Express your emotions effectively through your body language to change others perception of yourself.

Be aware of the following;

• Sitting/standing with arms crossed indicates that you are standoffish and disinterested
• Constricted pupils indicate that you are lying
• Pupils that dilate signify that you are seeing something pleasurable
• Chin up and shoulders back indicates confidence and can assist in changing state in an individual down
• Entering someone’s personal comfort zone (45cm’s – 1 metre) will make you appear confrontational, overbearing or even sleazy

To truly dissect the meaning of non-verbal clues, all signs need to be read as a cluster, i.e. body language, combined with tone and energetic engagement. Once you have satisfactorily dissected their message you will be able to redirect your own communication based on that of others to better effect the outcome.
 

Perception #5: Emotion

Shifting someone emotionally makes a strong neurological change within them and whatever change you have managed to cause will impact how you are perceived.

Leave every conversation on a positive note otherwise you will neurologically anchor yourself to negative emotions within others – after that it won’t matter what you say, they will distance yourself from you or react to you in a negative manner before you’ve opened your mouth.

This is common in ‘toxic’ relationships. Individuals at the sight of their partner instantly experience a negative physical and emotional state change. Be aware of the emotions you are stirring up in others.

Shifting them from a negative to a positive state will assist in creating a strong personal brand and positive neurological activity. The easiest way to do this is simply with a smile and positive communication.
 

Perception #6: Action

At the end of the day you will only be judged based upon your actions however if you don’t understand the other critical steps in creating a ‘positive’ representation of yourself you will not get to prove your word or your actions.

Step up to the plate or risk being perceived as a deceitful individual when you fail to act on your verbal promises.

If you can’t follow through due to changing circumstances - at least explain to others why you weren’t able to fulfil your obligations in a genuine and sincere manner and suggest an alternative if one exists.
 

Perception #7: Consistency

If you behave more erratically than Tom Cruise jumping on Oprah (oops, I mean her couch!) – we could have a problem. Learn to manage your emotional states effectively.

Keep a daily diary for one week. In this time note all of the food you eat, any significant emotional experiences that occur and your reaction/responses to them, your sleeping patterns (not who you slept with!) and observe when you experience  your peaks and troughs throughout the day.
 
This will give you a base template to work from and understand if you’re not getting enough sleep, what impact particular foods have on your emotional state and how ‘aware’ you are of your reactions to specific circumstances.

Consistency is king when developing a powerful personal brand and remaining at the top of your game.

If you want to ‘truly’ shift how people perceive you and attract new clients, go through the 7 steps above and see where you fall down and what you can do to pick yourself back up again.

Perception is all in the finer distinctions – how closely are you willing to look?

Unsure how you are perceived in
your marketplace?

That’s what personal branding is all about.

If the idea intrigues you, grab your copy of Ben’s new book, "Sleeping Your Way to The Top in Business – The Ultimate Guide to Attracting & Seducing More Customers” and find out how you can easily apply it in a simple step-by-step manner to attract & seduce new customers TODAY!

Posted by Ben Angel - Personal Branding on 2nd July, 2010 | Comments | Trackbacks
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