Overcoming the limitations of others' perceptions

taken from activeadventures.com

Our view of the world in which we live is not just built on results and specific facts, it is built upon our perceptions or the ways in which the glasses we wear color our viewpoint. We make judgments based on those perceptions that sometimes emanate from flawed assumptions and prejudices. If WE can't envision it, if it is not within our frame of reference then we tend to downplay it or worse, find ways to destroy its validity. 

From personal experience both being on the receiving end and placing my perceptions or projections onto others I recognize they are a powerful force. Let's look at an example. New Zealand evokes an image of thousands of sheep, beautiful pristine countryside and the settings for the Lord of the Rings in most eyes. Kiwi means a fuzzy fruit or a flightless bird, not so much the internet savvy, highly educated population. So when a Kiwi comes to New York or to Paris there is some incredulity about their credentials and experience. “Yes, but tell me again how many people live in your country?” as if skill was synonymous with a large population.

The words business and New Zealand are not usually mouthed in the same phrase. There is a mistaken belief that because the country has only 4 million people in it that it must be some kind of backwater, waiting to catch up with the most advanced countries such as the United States or Great Britain. What I have noticed in working in Europe and arriving now in the United States is that the New Zealand business environment is very vibrant and full of innovative thinkers. Some of the technological advances that I had taken for granted while living in New Zealand surprisingly just did not exist in France. 

taken from www.nbr.co.nz

So let's see where perceptions and reality co-exist. Let us step back a minute from our perceptions of this small "backwater", island nation. There are a number of interesting facts to debunk the idea of a third world country struggling to keep up with its large friends and neighbors. For example, did you know that New Zealand has the highest use of electronic banking transactions in the world, 86% of the population report using the internet which is a higher figure than the UK or Germany? New Zealand has enjoyed paying taxes via the internet for many years and the education system is world ranked. It has been in the top 10 nations for a number of years (with a slight fall in this past year but still in the top 15). In a recent study, New Zealand was ranked 17th for Maths and Sciences while the UK came in 20th position and the United States in 28th. (http://www.bbc.com/news/business-32608772.) Forbes has put New Zealand consistently in the top 3 countries in the world to do business.

So how is it that perceptions of New Zealand business are so very different from some of the facts illustrated above? And what impact can these erroneous perceptions have?  While I have used this personal example, the principles apply to so much more. Why do we hold on so firmly to our particular perceptions and what affect can it have on our ability to progress in our businesses or organizations? Obviously, for those on the receiving end of erroneous perceptions this can be very limiting and can present additional obstacles or hoops through which we have to jump. We have to be even more innovative to find ways to impress or to get into an open door. We need to constantly remind ourselves that these are their perceptions and not necessarily reality.

Those imposing their perceptions on others are also impacted. People in positions of authority or power such as managers, company owners, bankers or law makers can miss out on great talent or innovative ideas because their mind is fixed on a pretty rigid set of criteria. To mitigate the prejudices our personal perceptions might have we need to step back and ask ourselves, "What evidence do I have that my perceptions are valid?" "Is there a different way that this might be viewed?" "How might I find out whether this person/organization/idea/method has something to offer me?"

Check your perceptions in at the door, just long enough to open your mind to the possibilities. There is a whole world out there that just may open up to us.