Blog Post #10 

01/09/2019

Perception

Your presence in the workplace matters a lot. Part of that presence is how you present your self to others. People want strong capable-looking people to be their leaders and coworkers. This is where fitness becomes relatively important, ensure you are well groomed too. You look good to employers and to employees. It never hurts to be better looking and you will feel more confident. This will also make being a leader much easier.

I have seen this personally in the military. According to studies, people feel more comfortable around attractive, fit looking people. In the Army, fitness is paramount for obvious reasons and plays a huge role in promotions. Perception is the reality, this is a common saying used in the military. This means that people’s perceptions of you actually matter more than how you perceive yourself, other people decide whether or not you should be promoted. This is applicable to civilian life as well. If your boss perceives you as a detriment to the sales team this could harm your advancement. 

I was in a very bad unit where the leadership was toxic to the work environment and I had a team leader that believed I was not a capable soldier. His first impression of me was tainted by a situation I could not control and thus we started off on the wrong foot. Time went on and things got worse between this Sgt and I. Later I got a great opportunity elsewhere to further my career and he tried to stop me from leaving the unit which would have kept me from receiving a promotion. The situation was never resolved but I managed to get out by pulling favors. 

A solution to having a good first impression with your boss is to be well groomed, well dressed and fit looking. You must retain some sort of work out routine and also dress sharply. Fit people statistically feel better about themselves and enjoy more success in their personal and professional lives. You do not have to reach peak physical fitness, but working out three times a week would release stress and keep you fit. 

With a more positive outlook, you will radiate success and people around you will feel that. Avoid talking about hot button issues and be respectful to coworkers. With a good perception of who you are, advancement will come easier. If you have never worked out before, light fitness programs are readily available on google.   

What do you think about the concept “perception?” Did you disagree or agree with anything I said? Please comment and remember to be respectful. If you have any friends that are interested in this content, please refer them to this site.