Dr. Diane Hamilton's Blog

A Revolution in Hiring and Working with Eva Andres of Juniper Networks

The Power of Perception in Organizations

As leaders strive to improve their corporate cultures, they often neglect to recognize a pivotal contributor to the success or failure of their organizations. The most effective leaders understand the value of perception. When we hear that word, we might think of an Internet meme of whether we see the blue or gold dress. Or, we might envision a picture with two circles that fool us into thinking they are different sizes. However, perception is much more than just how we see things. If we incorporate our intellect (IQ), emotions (EQ), culture (CQ), and curiosity (CQ2), we get our perception quotient (PQ). Through understanding the value of perception, leaders can tap into their employees’ abilities to improve communication and develop awareness by asking questions, which leads to developing empathy and interpersonal skills. Without recognizing the interconnection of these crucial components, organizations can miss opportunities to improve partnerships, expand into new markets, build innovation, and become a key player in a global economy. Because of this, there has never been a more critical time to develop our perceptual awareness. That begins with understanding the process.

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To Become a Highly Effective Leader: Reduce Fear by Developing Curiosity

It might be surprising, but many leaders fear being discovered for not being as smart as they appear.  Realistic or not, people often look to leaders as if they should know everything. This external pressure often leads to internal pressure.  Leaders fear criticism, failure, making hard decisions, taking responsibility, or being unable to reach an important goal.  Because of this, leaders often surround themselves with experts in areas with which they have less experience or knowledge, which can be a very crucial to their success.  However, this can also keep them from developing some of these skills on their own.  There are other things leaders can do to be truly effective, including developing their sense of curiosity in areas with which they might not normally be comfortable. Continue reading “To Become a Highly Effective Leader: Reduce Fear by Developing Curiosity”