Perception VS Perspective – Make Them Work For You

In this post, we are looking closely at perception vs perspective – knowing the difference and making them work for you. This is important because we are in ministry and business or Marketplace Ministry. That means we influence people through our life, words, products, faith and services. We are not on this earth simply to breathe air and listen to our heartbeat. We are making our mark in time, helping people and making a difference. 

Your perspective (point of view) matters. It’s what you believe, how you see yourself and the world. Unlike your perspective of yourself, other people have a perception of you that involves what they sense about you. It is often different from how you see yourself. Your perspective houses your confidence to believe in your ability to discern what’s true, even when the facts are vague. Perspective and perception are important, especially when you are growing a ministry or business. But knowing the difference and making them work for you takes time and skill. 

Other people’s perspective of you comes from the vibe that you give when people are around you – how you dress, how you carry yourself and what you say. No matter how you perceive yourself, people respond based on how they see you, not how you see yourself – even if they don’t tell you. It’s normal to base your decisions on how you feel, what you believe and what you think (perspective). But it’s much more significant to be confident in who you are, and still influence the narrative about what people sense about you. You choose to influence the environment, not by telling lies, but by deciding which personal attribute to have on display in any arena. In business and ministry, perception drives your marketing, influence and outcomes.

When you are busy making a difference using your perspective, it’s easy to think about how you see things and miss how people see you. Here are a few examples of how this happens. 

Being so busy that it’s hard to congratulate people and attend their celebrations. 

You are creating the perception that you don’t care. Your perspective may be that you do care, you’re just too busy. But your perspective doesn’t matter in this case. When you don’t show up, the perception is that you don’t care. To make it work for you, send a gift (or gift card) and apologize for being unable to attend. Consider following up on a better day.

Celebrating your victories with people who do not share your enthusiasm for life and who have limited goals. 

It’s exciting to make a big sale, secure a lucrative investment or have a major advancement in your ministry. But when you are around people who do not share your enthusiasm, abilities or opportunities, it’s often difficult for them to celebrate with you without reflecting on themselves. That insecurity sometimes shows up as jealousy, envy, criticism and a feeling that you are bragging. Instead, enjoy your celebration with some like-minded friends who share your abilities and enjoy celebrating with you. 

Requiring your inner circle of friends and coworkers to agree with your ideas. Give people the freedom to disagree with you without consequences. If not, it’s hard to know how people perceive you. When you are the leader, people sometimes quietly allow you to enjoy your perspective, even if their perception is totally different. 

Get it?

Making the greatest impact in business and ministry requires you to step past your perspective and focus on how others perceive you. How people see you drives your results. It is the unselfish skill that opens doors and increases self awareness. Then, after you master the art of managing perception, you become more aware of yourself and how you influence others. The point is to communicate with honesty that is flanked in wisdom. You decide what to say, how to say it and when to be quiet. As you practice this skill, you become more balanced and congruent with perception and perspective. What people see is what you are. Enjoy the synergy and welcome to a new level.

Let’s recap.

In business and ministry, perception trumps perspective because how people see you drives their responses. You don’t abandon your perspective; you use it to gain wisdom that helps you positively influence people and reach your goals.

• Evaluate your options before you choose. 
• Consider how people perceive your communication and actions. 
• Put others first.

Considering perception does not mean giving up on yourself. In means you’re deciding that you don’t have to be front and center. Other people matter.

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