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The Challenge To the Organization Presented By Impression Management
The key to success in any game is to be able to influence, or control, events so that they fall in our favor. To this end, the strategic objective of the game is to achieve and maintain leverage over the opponents. Just like holding the higher ground in a battle, leverage helps the player to maintain the upper hand in the relationship.
This leverage need not be real; usually it is enough that it is merely perceived. Therefore, bluffing, or impression management, is an integral part of the game.
There is an Italian expression: fare una bella figura, which roughly translates to putting on a nice face. This encapsulates this sentiment quite succinctly. Rather then being based upon objective reality, the focus shifts to the appearance of reality. Society rewards the appearance of virtue, rather than virtue itself. The people who appear to be nice, appear to be intelligent, and appear to be competent, are those who thrive in today's society. The surface is what counts. What does not show does not matter!
These days most organizations are marketing driven. This is partly because the potential contribution to the bottom line from clever marketing is limitless, while in the areas of administration, operations or finance there are no such boundless opportunities. The marketing field is ideally suited for the skilled manipulator so it is a natural breeding ground for players. The problem is that while impression management is a very desirable talent when it comes to pushing more products out the door, it is less desirable when applied to management or matters of corporate strategy. It is very easy for the master salesman to bluff his way into positions where he has neither the qualifications nor the talent to do the job.
The poseurs, who always existed and thrived throughout history, have never done so in such numbers. Whereas previously, they were the exception, now they have become the rule. It starts with projecting an air of success. Then, when we buy into them as a product, we proceed to buy whatever it is they are pushing. In this way, appearing to be successful becomes the only real qualification for success. With this edict, the circle is complete; impression management has now become an end in and of itself.
Those virtual people cannot completely rid themselves of those who are the genuine article, because someone is required to actually produce. Consequently, a small number of these dinosaurs are allowed to stay and on occasion, are very well remunerated, and given impressive titles, but never under any circumstances are they given any real power. They may become experts, advisers, or researchers, but they are always well removed from where any real power resides.
About the Author John Berling Hardy is author of the e-book "Have We Been
Played?- The Hidden Game Revealed." The insights contained in this series give you the Edge. To find out more about the carefully guarded secret shared by all those who enjoy power and prestige visit Have We Been Played.com.
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