Perceptions affect Results.
When people's perceptions are aligned the chance they will achieve desired results increases. While that may be obvious, it is rarely top of mind. And it is rarely walking hand in hand with actions during interactions. While common sense tells us aligned perceptions is the best state to be in, few of us stretch enough to make sure that state exists.
When business people share their thoughts with me I observe perception gaps.
This is most common when the business people share a direct reporting relationship, one reporting to the other...a "boss-worker pair". Sometimes the perception gap is glaring...glaring large and dysfunctional. When I see this I ask myself, "What can I do to reduce this perception gap?"
Why do I ask this?
I ask this because it really bothers me to see people carrying on while so disconnected.
I recognize the human side: when people are disconnected, even if they don't register it consciously, they 'know it' and that knowledge places them in a position of dissonance which can show up as internal stress and external disharmony. That's the soft, intangible repercussion of the perception gap.
There's also a hard, tangible repercussion: perception gaps reduce efficiency and effectiveness, neutering performance, stalling coworkers & projects, annoying & losing clients, etc.
Yet - perception gaps dominate many boss-worker situations. A little more focus on perception gaps will generate a lot more bottom-line satisfaction.
How?
How can you reduce perception gaps?
Here's a link to New Binoculars.