Image Building is Fear Driven
You can’t enjoy leading and constantly worry about what people think of you. Would it really be a tragedy if people caught a glimpse of the real you?
Seriously:
You take yourself too seriously when you obsess about what other people think of you.
Image-building gives control of your life to others.
Fear is the source of constant image-building and impression-management.
Hierarchy:
Hierarchy maintains control through the power of giving approval. Fear of losing approval keeps everyone in line.
Image-building:
Image-building is about gaining and maintaining position and authority. Leaders obsess about their image because they want power and control.
Image-building sacrifices authenticity. But fear-driven conformity loses it power when you see how it works. You might still wear a blue suit, but you know it’s just a game.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how much fun are you having at work?
On a scale of 1 to 10, how much fun would you like to have at work?
When I am dealing with my staff, I am about an 8. When I am dealing with management, I am about a 2. I’d like to be at about 15.
Be careful of what you desire … our fears often are transformed into our desires (by transference and projection) …
Once people can glimpse that, you can lose them.
The real question is, is everyone else having as much fun with it as you are?
Interesting topic. Can you offer any book suggestions that relate to this topic?
Interesting. I enjoy leading my team and agree that being honest and true about who I am and my goals is a great motivator for my team. I do find, as I go up the corporate ladder, that I am constantly being asked to become a clone of the VPs and Directors of the company (or else I am not considered for higher level positions). Thoughts on how to address this problem?
I have a lot of fun at work because I feel that I can be myself. I’ve worked in environments where I couldn’t, and thinking back on them now, they were very image focused.
Authenticity is key to long-term success (and happiness). That means being vulnerable. When we take ourselves too seriously, we have no fun. And those around us have no fun either.
Ditto, precisely, accurately, completely.
I think being your true self at work makes you relatable. I share with my team, let them know the highs and lows but don’t dwell there. I really do have a lot of fun doing what I am doing. I get to onboard new employees. It really is the best job for me. I am 52 years old and probably could move up the ladder, but my passion is development and I would lose some of that when I am stuck in meetings all day!
On a scale of 1 to 10, how much fun are you having at work? Since I’m working tasks that are technical in nature and that I control and that no one else is doing, I rate it a 10. When I’m not doing the technical tasks but mired in administration BS and processes that get in the way of actual work I rate it a -5.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how much fun would you like to have at work? Again when I’m working the technical tasks I currently have in place and can scope out and put together my own pathway to completion its a 10, I’d like it to be a 15 but again I sometimes get mired in processes and BS administrative details that IMHO do not actually get work done but hamper work, those roadblocks prevent my movement to a 15 or beyond.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how much fun are you having at work? 9
On a scale of 1 to 10, how much fun would you like to have at work? 10
Can I add another, Dan? …
– How much fun are YOU at work?
– How much fun would YOU like to add to your workplace?
Someone once said, “Where focus goes, energy flows” – so perhaps we should focus on giving and contributing to ‘fun’ without expectations of receiving.
Thanks so much, Dan for this post.
But I want to know: is image-building not part of body language?
Thanks for your posts I read with excitement
Regards
Danielle