Your Corporate Selfimage Will Determine Your Success

Writen by Tim Connor

One of the critical factors for success in any endeavor is a healthy and positive self-image. Essentially a persons self-image will determine:

-how they respond to life's circumstances

-how they view the world around them

-what goals they set for themselves

-how they react to failure and adversity

-how they feel about themselves and others

-how they behave when no one is looking

-how they handle difficult situations

-their destiny and much more.

Organizations are made up of groups of individuals with various self-images and therefore create what I refer to in my management seminars as an 'organizational self-image'. Organizations also create a destiny which is often consistent with how the combined group of employees in a department, division, group or even the entire employee base see themselves as an entity.

For example, if a group of employees in a customer service department see themselves as unimportant and unappreciated the department in general will tend to treat customers in much the same way. Yes, there may be select individuals who treat customers with respect and concern, but by an large the department as a whole, because of it's low self-image, will treat most customers poorly.

If the management team in an organization, for whatever reason(s), is not in sync with its direction, goals, decisions, philosophy, communication etc. it will create confusion, a lack of harmony, very little employee empowerment and poor performance among its employees.

If the members of a sales team feel that they are unnecessary, constantly under pressure to perform with little or no positive reinforcement or appreciation or are perceived by other departments or senior management as nothing. but arrogant trouble makers, the individual self-image of the members of the group will become the 'group' self-image. The results of this 'corporate self-mage' is often the same as in the list of consequences listed above. One common sales outcome in this issue is where the sales group's approach to price resistance is generally to reduce price rather than sell value thereby contributing to low margins and profits.

I'll leave you with a few questions to consider - What is your corporate self-image? What do you believe is the general corporate self-image of most of your employees? Are you accurately aware of it and its consequences both internally and externally? What are the ultimate consequences either positive or negative that you are experiencing as a result of this self-image? What or who is contributing or re-enforcing this corporate self-image?

Tim Connor, CSP is an internationally renowned sales, relationship, management and leadership speaker, trainer and best selling author. Since 1981 he has given over 3500 presentations in 21 countries on a variety of sales, management and relationship topics. He is the best selling author of over 60 books including; Soft Sell, That's Life, Peace Of Mind and The Male Gift Giving Survival Guide. He can be reached at tim@timconnor.com, 704-895-1230 or visit his website at http://www.timconnor.com