About Branding

Branding, type-establishment, character-determination, name it whatsoever you like, we are practicing it all the time. Admitted, in business the skill of developing a rapid insight could be invaluable. Imagine how great it would-be be if we would-be all develop the ability to do a photo of every job-applicant, in order to see wherever his/her strengths and weaknesses were? Well, the positive side, according to the lecture I received now is, that we already do that - unconsciously. We "brand" folk the moment we see them. However, the negative side remains that we don't always execute the stigmatisation process in the right way. It is this really stigmatisation - this 1st moment photo - that guides our approach toward another person. It is stigmatisation that does us extra open to several and too defensive toward others. There are several folk that we simply can't stand, no matter what they do... and others that simply can't go wrong with us, no matter how often we wish obtain warnings from third parties! As I likewise knowing tonight, we tend to ignore those warnings, and sometimes even as their realization, because we don't like to admit to ourselves that our 1st impression was wrong?

Another funny thing I discovered tonight is, that folk wish easily tell you, once asked, that they prefer to hire employees that are their opposites, "so that performance gaps can be filled." This, as we all cognize by now, is simply an idealistic dream, a song that we cognize by heart and therefore sing so well; yet don't understand the words of. For in reality, it has been evidenced time and over again that no one actually goes for diversity, because we have an inborn tendency to stick with whatsoever is familiar to us, and that is...right!... the person with most of the characteristics we cognize best: the ones we own ourselves!

But in case we, as potential leaders, actually want to establish an ideal work-environment with the necessary diversity in characteristics, backgrounds, and qualities; how can we, do a mental photo to be sure that we're hiring the right folk given our current team of workers? Well, easy: if you cognize what you have, you likewise cognize what you lack, and ? therefore - need to find. If you cognize simply about yourself, for instance, that you are a fast-paced, goal-oriented decision-maker (let's call this type 1), you want to get an analytical and stabilising element to balance your team. Folk with persuasive tendencies (type 2) ordinarily don't mind showing their emotions, spell the type 1 individuals ? the ones with dominant personalities - wish hide their feelings and simply go for the job? fast! Folk with stabilising skills (type 3) wish seek to solve social problems. The ones with analytical skills (type 4) wish review and re-review the process endlessly before shooting it to execution. Interestingly, most folk have 2 types depicted inside them: a dominant and an underlying type. The dominant one is the one you represent, spell the underlying one determines how you get your results.

It's an exciting skill for leaders to look into. And an eye opener for folk who thought they knew themselves for decades. However, a word of caution is in place here, no matter what personality test you take, remember that these are mere snapshots that are subject to change through time and in several situations: one can, for instance, preponderantly be a controller at work, yet much of a inducer in the private domains of life.

Branding folk on basis of a 1st impression is therefore ne'er a nice idea, even as although it's hardly preventable. The only thing we can do, now that we are aware of this tendency inside us, is to support an open mind for 2nd, 3rd, 4th and even as 5th impressions. Sounds reasonable? I thought so too!