Impression Management

Definition :-
Impression management refers to the activity of controlling information in
order to steer others opinions in the service of personal or social goals.
Although people can manage impressions of almost anything (e.g., a clothing
brand, a political position, etc.), people most commonly manage the
impressions others form of themselves, a sub-type of impression
Management that is often termed self-presentation.
In social psychology, impression management is the process through hich
people try to control the impressions other people form of them. It is usually
synonymous ith self presentation.
Impression management is a process people use to control the
perceptions or impressions about themselves, a bit li!e personal
branding. Individuals may believe they are being "udged or perceived
based on their outard appearance, personality or other sub"ective
opinions by other people. Impression management attempts to control
these perceptions from other people through the development of self
presentation methods and techni#ues used to control outard perceptions
or impressions. $ommon self presentation methods include authentic,
ideal or tactical styles of impression management.
An authentic self presentation is used hen an individual ants to present
himself to other people the same ay he perceives himself. %his authenticity
allos individuals to behave in a manner consistent ith their daily image and
personality. %his presentation often involves disclosing information about
oneself to solidify the authentic brand.
Impression management is an &act presenting a favorable public image of one
so that others ill form positive "udgments. Impression management is a
fundamental and universal process that involves a number of influential factors.
%hese factors are social, cultural and spiritual.
Social Implications:-
&'obody hands values, norms, roles, and statuses to us fully formed, nor do e
accept them mechanically. (e told them to suit us as e interact ith others.
)y molding values, norms, roles, and statuses, people can modify themselves
and alter ho others perceive them. It is not alays clear hether or not people
are aare of the allusions they create hen they intentionally alter their values,
norms, roles, and statuses to manufacture positive impressions. *errate e+pands
on this concept in her boo!, Sociology, a -lobal .erspective, &/ven if people
are aare that they are manipulating reality, impression management can be a
constructive feature of social interaction. .eople across the globe implement
this concept in order to obtain a favorable social outcome. 'eman
compliments this concept by assessing additional sociali0ation implications.
&Impression management plays a prominent role in the sociali0ation process.
Impression management allos the production of manufactured personas,
hich aid in the sociali0ation process. %he use of impression management
provides people ith the necessary s!ills to create a custom and often falsified
perception. %his deceptively altered perception allos a person to construct a
ne, but not necessarily improved version of him or herself. %his approach
helps a person carefully craft relationships and by e+tension they have the
ability to alter their position in the sociali0ation process through impression
management. %he previous e+ample illustrates ho impression management
can also have a number of negative implications, such as, deception and
falsification of self.
%here are a variety of social implications ithin impression management, but
not all of the social implications are positive. 1ome of the repercussions are
negative and can even be damaging to the person responsible for the
implementation of impression management tactics. According to 'eman,
&Impression management can lead to the creation of damaged identities, hich
must be repaired in order to sustain social interactions. 2amaged identities and
suffering social interactions can ta!e a toll on a person, hich enviably forces
that person to retreat to impression management once again. It may seem
increasingly ironic that the tactic that aided in the damaging and e+iling of a
person can be the very approach that puts that person bac! in the social
standings. Impression management is a concept to be ta!en very seriously. It
has the poer and influence to create a favorable public opinion of a particular
person, it can brea! a person in regards to social standings, and it can repair a
damaged persona. Additionally, impression management has the ability to
dictate a persons position in society.
Cultural Implications:-
&.eople are sensitive to ho they are seen by others and use many forms of
impression management to compel others to react to them in the ays they
ish. An e+ample of this concept is easily illustrated through cultural
differences. 2ifferent cultures have diverse thoughts and opinions on hat is
considered beautiful or attractive. According to Forshee, &3ver the past
decade, the media increasingly have emphasi0ed the beauty of hite s!in,
through advertisements for lightening creams. (hatever the combination of
#ualities is considered attractive may be, there are alays ays to simulate
them.
Another illustration of ho people attempt to control ho others perceive them
is portrayed through the clothing they ear. A person ho is in a leadership
position strives to be respected and in order to control and maintain the
impression4 the person ears a nice suit, carries a briefcase, and acts in a
professional manner. %he professional clothing and the dignified manner in
hich the person carries him or herself, plays a large role in the impression
management process. %his illustration can also be adapted for a cultural
scenario. %he clothing people choose to ear says a great deal about the person
and the culture they represent.
Spiritual Implications:-
Impression management can also be e+emplified through spiritual implications.
5ust as people desire to fit in ith their social and cultural groups, people aspire
to fit in ith their spiritual groups as ell. %his concept can be demonstrated
through the process of altering ones personality and actions in order to be
accepted by a spiritual group. )roning e+plains ho he acted differently at
church than he did anyhere else. 6e e+plained ho he ould ear different
clothing, listen to other types of music, and even alter his topics of
conversation. &Around the &church people e ould act differently 7 more
upright, more spiritual, e ould act nicer than e really ere. It as classic
impression management.
Conclusion:-
Impression management is a self-presentation techni#ue that focuses on
improving a persons image in the eyes of others. /ver since /rving -offman
implemented the term impression management in 89:9, sociologists and
theorists have been studying additional aspects of the concept. Impression
management presents constructive and favorable images to the public,
encouraging a positive outcome. Impression management is a common
underlying process that involves social and cultural implications. In regard to
the social implications, impression management allos people to carefully craft
and construct their public perception. In some cases, in order to obtain a
favorable public or social appearance, a person must alter and falsify their
persona. %he social implications of impression management are not alays
negative, but there is a fine line beteen the positive and negative aspects.
Impression management in relation to culture has a far more positive outcome.
%he cultural implications of impression management define the significance of
cultural traditions, norms, and ays of life. %he color of s!in and hair, as ell
as, the clothing people choose to ear, are all apart of the impression
management process. %he spiritual implications involve both the social and the
cultural implications in order to fully complete the impression management
process. %he social, cultural, and spiritual. Implications vary from person to
person and from culture to culture, but most importantly, they are all deeply
rooted in impression management.
History and Modern Usage:-
Many riters and philosophers have observed that people engage in strategic
behaviors to control the impressions that their audiences form;as
Shaespeare rote, <All the orlds a stage, And all the men and omen
merely players4 %hey have their e+its and their entrances, And one man in his
time plays many parts.< %he sociologist /rving -off man populari0ed this idea
further, arguing that ordinary people in everyday life or! to convey desired
impressions to others around them, "ust as actors on a stage or! to present
their characters to audiences.
3f course, given that actors are pretending to be people they are not, this
metaphor implies that impression management is intentional and duplicitous.
(hile early research reflected this assumption, more recent research has
revealed that people engage in impression management even hen they are not
intentionally trying to do so. For e!ample, even if you feel li!e you can "ust
&be yourself around close friends and family members, you may find yourself
acting #uite differently;or presenting a somehat different version of yourself
;around your best friend than around your mother, ithout really thin!ing
about it. =ou might e+hibit such different behavior not only because of your
on desire to be vieed somehat differently by your friend versus your
mother, but also because your friend and your mother have different
e+pectations or demands regarding hat sort of person you should be. %hus,
engaging in impression management can help to ensure that social interactions
go smoothly.
Impression management is not ris!-free, hoever. )ecoming e+cessively
concerned over others opinions can cause an+iety, thereby increasing health
problems. And engaging in highly deceptive forms of impression management
runs the ris! that people ill see through the act (although &getting caught
seems to be the e+ception rather than the rule). $onversely, impression
management may sometimes be too effective4 for e+ample, if you try to act li!e
a rebel in one situation, your impression management may carryover such that
you start to see yourself as relatively more rebellious and behave in a rebellious
manner in subse#uent situations.
3f course, to the e+tent that people generally try to put their best foot forard,
such carryover effects of impression management may have positive
conse#uences.
Impression management can also be used pro-socially to benefit friends. .eople
commonly describe their friends in ays that help to support their friends
desired images. %hus, impression management can be underta!en in the service
of self-serving or more other-oriented goals and represents a central component
of everyday social life.
First impression "".
(ithin three seconds of seeing a person for the first time e decide
their,
social status,
.olitics,
education,
religion,
se+uality,
*riendliness > approachability.
#t $or".
2oing a good "ob accounts for 8?@ of the impression you give
9?@ of the impression you give of being capable is based on perception.
- .resentation of or!
- presentation of self
- being seen to be Adoing a good "ob
First impressions : the %&' rule
((' appearance B body language
&)' tone, pitch B pace of your voice
*' hat you say
Impact of Impression Management,-
Integrity
Manners
.ersonality
Appearance
$ommunication
%hrill
+$o +ypes of Impression Management:-
8. $onstructive ; helps in the formation of self identity.
C. 1trategic ; helps in the attainment of some interpersonal goal.
Impression Management and Image Management are used as synonyms.
Image Management:-
Image Management is the ongoing, pro-active process of evaluating and
controlling the impact of your appearance on you, on others, and the
achievement of your goals. It is a science and an art that provides a frameor!,
addressing all the elements 7 clothing, grooming practices, body language and
eti#uette and vocal communication 7 that help create the right image for each
role that a person underta!es at different occasions.
-iven that each person is uni#ue, image management ta!es into account the
persons personal style, enhances strengths and donplays ea!nesses hile
ma!ing optimal use of resources.
,hat Image Management is not-
Image Management is not personality development, hich focuses only on the
self, nor is it image ma!eover or grooming hich focus on the outside. It is
about managing the &image from the inside out, creating the right image based
on the real self (Inside) and pro"ecting it based on the occasion (3utside).
As such, it is comprehensive as opposed to personality development hich
focuses only on the inside, and ma!eover and grooming hich focus solely on
the outside. It combines all the different aspects of the person, including the
inner self, characteristics, goals, as ell as the outer environment, the differing
roles and occasions the person underta!es hen or!ing toards achieving the
image goal.
,hy Image Management-
Millions of successful people in different spheres of life 7 corporate e+ecutives,
layers, doctors, other professionals, 6igh 'et orth Individuals (6'I),
socialites, houseives, celebrity ives and many more recogni0e that the right
image ma!es people attribute confidence, superior ability and other positive
elements to them. It opens doors, giving them access to decision ma!ers,
greater success in hiring and salary levels, alloing them to lead satisfied
personal, professional and social lives. 6ence, rather than leave it to chance,
they ma!e a conscious effort to pro"ect the right image.
%he ay you loo! directly affects, the ay you thin!, the ay you feel, the ay
you spea!, the ay you act or behave, and then the ay others react or respond
to you 7 .udith /as0and.
Impression management in the organi1ation:-
Impression management theory has been popular in sociology and social
psychology for many years. %his volume offers the first comprehensive
application of impression management theory to organi0ational settings.
Desearchers and practitioners in organi0ational settings have recently been
using this theory as an e+planatory model to focus on the roles and identities
that <social actors< utili0e in interpersonal situations. %he theory of impression
management provides a frameor! for the techni#ues and strategies people use
in order to loo! good as ell as the e+cuses and "ustifications they employ to
avoid loo!ing bad.
Applications of self-presentation theory, or impression management, in
management and organi0ations - such as career building, negotiations and
performance appraisals - are the focus of this groundbrea!ing volume. 1ocial
psychologists have been devoting increased attention to this ne theoretical
frameor!, hich involves the concerns of individuals ma!ing a positive
impression on others. 1elf-presentation theory interprets much of human
interaction as similar to an adverti0ing campaign for oneself. Applied
Impression Management is the first boo! to sho ho this theory affects real-
life management.
/vidence of the process through hich organi0ational members create and
maintain desired impressions is provided by this revie of social psychological
and relevant management research on impression management. .ropositions
regarding the stimuli and the cognitive, motivational, and affective processes
related to impression management and audience responses are advanced.
*inally, directions for future research into impression management in
organi0ational settings are suggested.
Description:
Impression management is the deliberate EbendingE of the truth in order to ma!e
a favorable impression. Managing impression includes deliberate use of any or
all of,
2ress, ma!e-up, hairstyle and other management of visual appearance.
Manner and general behavior, such as being pleasant, assertive, and so
on.
Managing body language to conceal an+ieties or untruths and sho
openness, etc.
)eing economic ith the truth, not telling lies but also not revealing the
hole truth.
/+aggeration or complete fabrications of things that ma!e you loo!
good.
2onplaying or denials of negative factors that ma!e you loo! bad.
Discussion:
%o some e+tent, e are constantly managing impressions of others in most
social circumstances and of course e ant to loo! good in intervies.
6oever there are to #uestions that may be as!ed,
%he e+tent to hich it is ethical and acceptable, both socially and for the
intervieers.
%he e+tent to hich it is effective. More impression management does
not necessarily mean a better impression is gained.
Impression management not only happens, it is e+pected to happen. %his can
cause a dilemma here the intervieer either mar!s you don for not
managing impression sufficiently (for e+ample not being smart enough or not
being assertive enough) or managing it too much (lo-cut dresses, boasting,
e+aggeration).
+echni2ues of Impression Management:-
(hile little children are taught not to tell lies, as they age, they learn that
instances arise hen not e+posing the entire truth might be advantageous.
Impression management is the act of slightly bending the truth so as to ensure
that others are not harmed or insulted by your statements as ell as to ma!e
yourself appear in the best possible light. %hrough the use of impression
management, you can control ho others perceive you. /ffective impression
management is useful both in professional and in social situations.
Dressing Formally and Maintaining 3ersonal #ppearance:
(hile dressing up and tending to your personal hygiene by grooming and
applying ma!eup might seem li!e a standard practice, it is in itself a form of
impression management. An individual should ma!e an effort to improve her
personal appearance each day. )y doing this you ensure that others receive the
best possible impression of your physical appearance and, by connection, of
you as a person.
#4oiding 5egati4e Issues:
Individuals ho ish to manage negative impressions of themselves can do so
by avoiding issues that may be unflattering. *or e+ample, if an individual has a
felony on his police record, he might purposely avoid tal!ing about issues
related to the felony so that he is not put in a position in hich he is as!ed
about the felony and forced to either divulge the truth or tell a lie.
Slightly 6!aggerating 3ositi4e 3oints:
An individual can improve his image by playing up positive features. *or
e+ample, if an individual is a reasonably good artist, he could ma!e himself
seem even more s!illed by highlighting or slightly e+aggerating his artistic
successes. %his type of impression management can be ris!y, as a fine line
e+ists beteen slightly e+aggerating and straight out lying. %o ensure that you
are not lying hen you play up your positive points, ma!e sure that everything
that you say is technically true.
Do$nplaying 5egati4e Factors:
(hen or!ing to combat negative factors, some individuals ill donplay the
importance of these things. *or e+ample, if an individual does not have a higher
education degree, she may point out the importance of business e+perience and
minerali0e the importance of formal education to ma!e her #ualifications seem
desirable even though she technically lac!s the potentially re#uisite degree.
Controlling 7ody 8anguage:
(hen or!ing to manage impressions, an individual must pay close attention
to his body language. 3ften, if an individual is uncomfortable tal!ing about a
certain sub"ect or nervous hen venturing into a topic of conversation, this
unease is apparent on the individualEs face or in the ay in hich he carries his
body. %o ensure that others donEt #uestion the validity of statements, hich
could easily undermine impression management attempts, those or!ing to
manage impressions must control their body language and attempt to remain
rela+ed and at ease at all times.
IM +echni2ues or 9er0al Self-3resentational 7eha4iors:-
9er0al self-presentation
*avors Acclaiming /+cuse Association
*lattery Apologies 3pinion 1elf-
$onformity 2escriptions
%his study used direct observation to investigate the relationship beteen
audience characteristics and the verbal self presentational behaviour.
Impression management involves the behaviours people e+hibits to maintain
desired impression because managers occupy highly visible positions, it is
particularly important for them to manage their impressions on others. Indeed,
the images managers portray influence their interactions ith others.
%he most prominent mean of managing impressions is through self-
presentation, hich 1chneider defined as, the manipulation of information
about the self by the actor. 1uch presentations involve verbal behaviour, non
verbal behaviour and arti factual displays such as dress and office dFcor. In
addition, 1chneider identified purposive behaviours as a longer class of self
presentational behaviours to the pursuit of actors interaction ob"ectives.
Corporate Image Management:-
/very organi0ation has a corporate image, hether it ants one or not. (hen
properly designed and managed, the corporate image ill accurately reflect the
level of the organi0ationEs commitment to #uality, e+cellence and relationships
ith its various constituents - including current and potential customers,
employees and future staff, competitors, partners, governing bodies, and the
general public at large.
$orporate image management is a critical concern for every organi0ation, one
deserving the same attention and commitment by senior management as any
other vital issue. %his is perhaps even truer for ne and medium-si0ed
businesses that must grapple for customer attention and the recruitment of
financial and human resources ithout the aid of large communications
budgets.
/verything an organi0ation does, and does not do, affects the perception of that
organi0ation and its performance, products, and services. %hese perceptions
affect its ability to recruit the financial resources, people and partnerships it
needs to attain its goals and ob"ectives. %his premise has to predominant
concerns for companies entering the C8st $entury,
An understanding that the corporate image is a ma"or strategic concern
that can have a direct impact on the level of success the organi0ation
achieves through its other mar!eting and management efforts, and
An understanding that a coherent corporate image needs to be integrated
into the organi0ation at all levels.
%his techni#ue is used to create a behavior or personality that is consistent ith
outside perceptions of ho an individual should act or behave. 1elf
presentation plays an integral part in developing impression management
techni#ues. Individuals must select hich method they ish to use hen
presenting themselves to other people, hether in business or social situations.
.ersonal branding is a strategy in hich an individual or company see!s to
ma!e the best use of its attributes in order to pro"ect an image that is easily
recogni0ed and associated ith anything that the entity does.
$losely associated ith impression management, the idea is to assess the
passions, abilities, desires, strengths, and ea!nesses that are present, and
utili0e them to create an image or brand that is both accessible and compelling.
+actics of Impression Management:-
1ometimes e ant to loo! good and sometimes e "ust ant to maintain
necessary performance so that e do not loo! bad. 5ones and .ittman (89GC)
identified five tactics of self-presentation that the person may adapt. %hey are,
7eha4ioral
%he target of perception A subordinate tries to
Matching
matches
his or her behavior to
that of the
.erceiver.
imitate her bosss
behavior by being
modest and soft-spo!en
because her boss is
modest and soft-spo!en.
Self-
3romotion
%he target tries to
present herself
or himself in as positive
a light as
possible
A or!er reminds his
boss about his past
accomplishments and
associates ith
coor!ers ho are
evaluated highly.
Conforming
to Situational
5orms
%he target follos
agreed-upon
rules for behavior in the
organi0ation
A or!er stays late
every night even if she
has
completed all of her
assignments because
staying late is one of the
norms of her
organi0ation
#ppreciating
or Flattering
:thers
%he target compliments
the perceiver.
%his tactic or!s best
hen flattery is not
e+treme and hen it
involves a dimension
important to the
perceiver.
A coor!er
compliments a manager
on his
e+cellent handling of a
troublesome employee.
7eing
Consistent
%he targets beliefs and
behaviors are consistent.
%here is agreement
beteen the targets
verbal and
nonverbal behaviors.
A subordinate
delivering a message to
his boss
loo!s the boss straight
in the eye and has a
1incere e+pression on
his face.
6!ample of impression management
;ender Differences in the :rgani1ations:-
Social role theory:-
+he implication of this theory for impression management in
organi1ations is that men and $omen may 0oth 0eha4e differently
and 0e e!pected to 0eha4e differently in the $orplace <e.g., men
may feel normati4e pressure to 0e asserti4e, and $omen may feel
normati4e pressure to 0e nurturing=. +hese gender role e!pectations
carry o4er to the types of >o0s considered appropriate for men and
$omen as $ell as to the perception of the 0eha4ior of men and
$omen in organi1ational settings. For instance, a nurse is seen as a
feminine-typed >o0, and a doctor is seen as a masculine typed >o0. In
addition, asserti4eness in a man is seen as a gender ?appropriate@
0eha4ior, $hereas an asserti4e $oman is seen as 4iolating gender-
0ased e!pectations for 0eha4ior and may 0e thought of in a
derogatory manner.
1ocial roles impact impression management because they establish normative
e+pectations for behavior. %hus, e ould e+pect that the normative
e+pectations for behavior should vary both by the organi0ational conte+t as
ell as the characteristics of the interact ants. *or instance, although self-
promotion is considered appropriate for a "ob intervie, a oman ho engages
in self-promotion may be perceived as violating feminine gender role norms
because self-promotion is not a feminine characteristic.
;ender differences in general use of impression
management tactics:-
+actic Definition ;ender differences-
Fa4or-doing Doing fa4ors for others
to in4oe the norm
of reciprocity
Men engage in more
Self-
enhancementApromoti
on
6mphasi1ing oneBs 0est
characteristics
Men engage in more
6ntitlementAacclaiming +aing responsi0ility
for positi4e
occurrences
Men engage in more
Charm Using charm to increase
compliance of others
Mi!ed results
Modesty De-emphasi1ing oneBs
characteristics after
a performance
,omen engage in more
:pinion conformity 6!pressing opinions or
0eha4ior similar to
others
,omen engage in more
FlatteryAcompliments 3raising other
indi4iduals
,omen engage in more
Ingratiation #ttempting to induce
liing in others
Mi!ed results
6!emplification +o act self-sacrificing,
moral, $orthy
5one reported
:ther-enhancement Saying nice things a0out
others, especially
through third
parties
5one reported
Conclusion:-
In conclusion, the literature e revieed indicates that men and omen tend to
vary in the fre#uency ith hich they employ different impression
management tactics, and, in some cases, masculine-typed impression
management tactics tend to lead to better performance evaluations and salary,
hereas feminine-typed impressions management tactics tend not to lead to
those benefits. *urthermore, the literature shos that, hen omen adopt
masculine impression management tactics, they are often punished for
transgressing norms rather than rearded for adopting hat for men are
successful tactics. /ach lin! in this chain needs to bemire carefully e+amined
by future researchers. *or no, it remains an intriguing empirical #uestion
hether or not these gender differences are part of the pu00le of hy men and
omen e+perience different organi0ational outcomes.
Cey Duestions:-
I. ,hy do people engage in impression management-
%here are many reasons for engaging in impression management. *irst, e
need to interact socially, and impression management allos us to define the
situations and roles e ill play. %his enables us to communicate our perceived
and desired identity, as ell as our goals.
3nce established, each participant must (or try to) remain congruent to their
earlier performance, or lose face (and face cognitive dissonance). 3n the flip
side, the audience respects the identity presented by the other. In this manner
consistency of behavior should have its chec!s, but too often, perceived
authority or e+pertise get in the ay, i.e. group thin!, and the audience
ac!noledges the perceived self irrespective of itsE validity.
6oever, this process usually enables things to run pretty smoothly.
Impression management, again, is seen as a goal focus behavior. (hat are
some reasons for using this method for obtaining goalsH Ac#uiring social and
material outcomes, for e+ample, Approval, respect, pays raise and promotions.
%o optimi0e self esteem, validate self image, and socially verify e+isting self
beliefs.
Impression management can also be used to e+ercise poer over the
environment, controlling it or at least setting e+pectations and parameters.
Ioo!ing at some recent research, impression management is used as a tactic to
ma!e ones self more attractive to potential mates. D.Celly #une and Crystyna
S. #une <E%%F= loo!ed at cross cultural variables in preening behavior in
humans by hanging out in bathrooms in ten ma"or nightclubs in a estern J1
metropolitan area. Desearch assistants ould observe the <appearance
management< tactic by noting the folloing, 6air grooming, clothes
straightening, and ga0ing at oneself in the mirror. Also noted4 Application or
reapplication of ma!e-up. /ach research assistant as e#uipped ith a
stopatch to measure the amount of time the sub"ect
1pent in AM behavior.
II. ,hat images of self do people try to construct and protect-
Most research on impression management revolves around self presentation.
%he range of impression management tactics are far greater than merely a
socially desirable self presentation, or trying to gain approval or li!ing for the
target audience. .ones and 3ittman <E%)G= have summari0ed the folloing
techni#ues,
E. Intimidation: .resenting oneself as poerful or irrational to be feared by the
audience.
G. Supplication: .resenting oneself as ea! or irresponsible to receive
nurturance from the audience.
&. 6!emplification: .resenting oneself as morally orthy to promote guilt in
the audience.
F. Self promotion: in hich people present themselves as competent and
effective to gain respect.
(. Ingratiation: .resenting oneself in ays hich e thin! ill ma!e people
li!e us.
Desearch also suggests that the ay e present ourselves depends on ho
valuable the situation is to meeting our goals ill determine our presentation.
Jsing impression management is held in chec! by t$o factors,
8. %he self presentation commits the person to the schema they have selected
or face social sanctions.
C. %he identity must be in line ith public !noledge of their character, or not
be realistic.
)ut, some research that focuses on impression management isnEt focused on the
individual. 3rgani0ations have a hole culture of impression management that
runs from the "anitor all the ay to the organi0ations media presence. 3ne area
that has been focused on is crisis management. (at!ins-Allen and -aillouet
(899K) discuss the similarity beteen corporate (organi0ational) and individuals
in impression management techni#ues. %his becomes necessary for <corporate
actors, especially those hose legitimate right to operate is being challenged,
embed self presentation strategies in their e+ternal discourse to control
perceptions ithin their
3rgani0ational field.<
III. Ho$ do they go a0out doing so-
Desearchers have found to routes to impression management, direct and
indirect tactics. %he direct involves e+plicit claims stated verbally or non
verbally to the intended audience. Indirect measures of impression management
include strategically associating ith people or events that ill shape the ay
that people vie them. *or e+ample connecting ones self ith the ining team,
political party or disassociating ith the losing team or party.
I9. ,hat role do audiences play in the impression management
process-
Audiences can control the degree to hich people pursue impression
management. %he author of the intended impression must gauge hat need can
be met given the audiences e+pectations, hopes and ambitions, hether or not
is realistic, and ho to proceed given their understanding of cultural norms.
.andey (89GL) suggests that ingratiators are more li!ed by the intended (face to
face) audience ho receives the direct complements, opinion conformity, etc..,
as opposed to a third party observer. -off man (89::) tal!s of the difficulty of
targets to e+tract themselves from the ingratiating situation and the lac! of
ability to constantly challenge the honesty of the actors assertions.
9. Is impression management duplicitous, or can it 0e sincere-
Impression management involves controlling information presented to
audiences and as such has usually been seen as illicit or deceitful. )ut
considering that hen meeting people, (esp. %he more e+perience e have) e
have to compress a great deal of history and life to present an honest and
desired impression of ho e are to our audiences.
9I. ,hat type of indi4idual differences e!ists in impression
management 0eha4ior-
%here are individual differences in impression management techni#ues and
styles. .eople ho are high self monitors have a tendency to use social cues as
guidelines for regulating and controlling self image. 6igh self monitors are
good at social interaction, but pay a price of being inconsistent across different
social situations. Another individual distinction is the inner>outer social
dichotomy. %he outer oriented fol!s tend to use impression management to
conform to the audiences preferences. %hey see themselves as team players.
Inner oriented people tend to see themselves as independent, resisting
conformity and use the audience to validate the image they are putting forth. If
the image is not as they desire, they ill go to e+treme lengths to ma!e sure
their impression is made.
9II. Does it ,or-
%he data revieed as coded for the folloing variables4 Ingratiation tactic,
role of perceiver, gender of participants, direction of ingratiation, stimulus
material, target status, ingratiatory dependency and ingratiation transparency.
1ome interesting results ere4 e+cept for favor rendering, all methods of
ingratiation ere shon to have significant positive effect on perceptions, self-
promotion as found to have significant negative effect hile apology had
significant positive effect, also, that donard or lateral directions of influence
ere far more significant than upard.
Current 3erspecti4es:-
After a flurry of research in the G?Es, impression management became
recogni0ed as a fundamental interpersonal process. Most approaches agree that
<.eople communicate strategically, and must, li!e politician, ta!e into account
the varying perspectives and agendas of audiences.< (hether this process is
conscience or un!non to its perpetrator, humans have a tendency to control
information about ourselves, and chose hat information e ish to give out to
our audience.
%he impression management process ta!es place in first contact, but also over
the course of long term relationships. (hile the above stated is generally
accepted, there is no one theory of impression management. As a broad
theoretical approach, hoever, impression management perspectives all have
the assumption that impression management ta!es place in order to facilitate
goal achievement.
Impression Management Strategies:-
Ingratiation: -influencing anotherEs perception of our attractiveness4
conforming, complimenting. )eing submissive, paying attention to them
(<yes< men) (obese people, status relationships- D3%$ cadets and
officers)
Intimidation, - arousing fear. 1trategy used to arouse fear in others.
Self promotion: - to be seen as competent. Increasing oneEs on poer,
bragging, to be perceived as competent or good> e!emplification -
strategy to elicit perception of integrity and moral orthiness or to
arouse guilt, supplication advertising ea!nesses.
6!emplification: - to elicit perceptions of integrity or morality or to arouse
guilt.
Supplication: - advertising ea!nesses, see!ing sympathy.
7eha4ioral matching: - acting li!e the person you are trying to impress.
Conforming to situational norms: - situated identities (funeral - earing
somber clothes, etc.
Self-schemas, - beliefs e have about ourselves4 e are schematic on issues
that are of interest to us and e are alays interested in things that affect
us or ob"ects, events, and people ho e affect. 1elf schema affects ho
e process information and hat e remember e.g. gender schema.
Indi4idual differences in impression management:
Self-Monitoring - active attempt to control images and impressions give to
others.
High self-monitors - concerned about the situational and interpersonal
appropriateness of his>her behavior4 sensitive to cues as to the social
appropriateness of behavior4 uses situational cues to control verbal and
nonverbal self-presentation
8o$ self-monitors - e+pressive behavior controlled by internal affective state
and stable attitudes 1elf-monitoring, 6igh and lo self- monitors.
6igh self monitors are tuned into the social setting4 they read and rely on cues
from the setting and from others to determine ho they should behave4 goal- to
promote smooth social interactions4 actors, politicians, hosts. %he to tell the
truth study.
8o$ self- monitors - hat you see is hat you get4 behavior is determined by
internal states4 see themselves as principled4 see high monitors as false.
Machia4ellianism - high need for poer4 avoid emotional attachment4 respond
to elements in the situation that ill produce the desirable results4 control the
means of influencing others.
1elf-see!ing opportunists4 modify their behavior in order to control others.
Self-Consciousness <self-a$areness= H
3ri4ate - focus on the self4 greater self-!noledge
3u0lic - *ocus on ho others see you4 more conforming to e+ternal demands.
Impression Management: Doing ;ood is 5ot 6nough -
Iou Ha4e to 0e Seen Doing ;ood:-
$hances are, youEve done at least one of the folloingM
N -one on a diet, or angled for a promotion, in time for a class reunion.
N 1crambled to clean the house before your mother-in-la arrives.
N 2ebated over hat tie or blouse to ear before an important meeting.
%hese are all instances of impression management. ItEs a techni#ue you employ
"ust about every day, often ithout being aare of it. )ut do you reali0e its
importance in the or!placeH .olishing your s!ills at impression management
"ust might be the !ey to getting that promotion, or increasing your bossEs
respect for your efforts.
Impression management is a ay of controlling your self-presentation and
managing your behavior in certain situations, to ta!e control over the
impression you leave on others. Impression management is all about being
your on publicist 7 actively maintaining your good reputation, and alloing
others to see the value you bring to the table.
And hile the term Eimpression managementE may sound li!e "ust a bu00ord,
the concept has been around for #uite a long time. In fact, )en"amin *ran!lin
rote #uite candidly about impression management in his autobiography, first
published in 8GLG. 6e rites, <In order to secure my credit and character as a
tradesman, I too! care not only to be in reality industrious and frugal, but to
avoid all appearances to the contrary. I dressed plainly4 I as seen at no places
of idle diversionM and, to sho that I as not above my business, I
sometimes brought home the paper I purchased at the stores through the streets
on a heelbarro.<
1till good ideas todayO Another e+ample, 2ale $arnegieEs long-time bestseller
6o to (in *riends and Influence .eople as first published in 89PL, going
on to sells over 8: million copies. 1imilarly, 6arrison Monarths boo! %he
$onfident 1pea!er helps presenters of today manage the impressions of
audiences everyhere.
Impression management has clearly been around for #uite ahile, undoubtedly
long before )en"amin *ran!lin. 6oever, in todayEs branding oriented orld,
itEs more critical to success than ever. 3rgani0ations orldide devote much
of their efforts to actively managing their brands and reputations. And "ust li!e
the smart corporate players - managers, employees and entrepreneurs should
also see! to manage their reputations and the impressions they leave on people
7 their on personal brands. %his article ill e+plain some solid concepts and
techni#ues in impression management. (hile things may have changed a lot
since 8GLG, in some ays they havenEt changed at all.
+echni2ues for Impression Management,-
N Maintain a professional and ell-groomed physical appearance
If you ant a star role, you have to dress the partO In the career orld, this
means dressing professionally and attractively, e+emplifying hatever dress
code is appropriate for your particular or!place. (hile you usually onEt
be e+pected to ear the latest fashions, your clothes should be clean,
pressed, and relatively ne. =our personal appearance should also be neat
and clean. %his communicates the message that you are aare ho you
come across and committed to putting your best foot forard.
N Jse appropriate and positive body language
2evelop body language that is both elcoming and confident. Maintain
comfortable eye contact. 1mile hen itEs appropriate, hether its the
&social smile or an authentic smile of "oy. Deflect your self-confidence and
self-esteem by standing straight and tall, ith great posture and your head
held high. 3ffer a firm handsha!e. 2iscuss ideas ith open palms.
N Jse positive impact ords and phrases
Jse confident, positive phrasing hen suggesting your ideas. At the same
time, be encouraging about the ideas of others, too.
.ay attention to the spea!ing patterns and phrases used by your colleagues,
particularly your superiors. (hat type of language does your boss find
inspirational or motivationalH )y using the ords and phrases that stri!e
home ith him or her, you can ma!e it easier for the to of you to
communicate more poerfully and positively for the results you see!.
N 2onEt be afraid to self-promote
you might believe that your good or! ill spea! for itself. )ut it can only
do so if the right people !no about it. 6o can you help your best efforts
spea! a little louderH 2onEt be afraid to ta!e onership and tal! about your
successful pro"ects. And remember )en *ran!linEs approach 7 it doesnEt hurt
to be seen carrying your or! home every no and then.
Demember that self-promotion is basically a form of advertising. 6onesty in
advertising is alays the best policy, and the practice of personal impression
management is no e+ception to this rule. If you falsely advertise your
strengths, talents, and accomplishments, the impression you leave ill li!ely
be #uite negative once the truth emerges.
Most people are more li!ely to play don their achievements than e+aggerate
them. %his is especially true for female professionals, ho fre#uently feel
uncomfortable <bragging< about their strengths. )ut loo! at it this ay, if you
really do have valuable contributions to ma!e, your superiors and peers ant
to !no, "ust as much as you ant them to. 1elf-promoting isnEt "ust about
advancing yourself 7 itEs also about communicating your abilities clearly, so
you can offer your best resources to the team.
N 2evelop relationships at the office
1trengthen your position in the team by cultivating friendly and positive
relationships ith your coor!ers and superiors. %his doesnEt necessarily mean
schmoo0ing, or professing your love for cats to your cat-loving boss 7 even
though youre allergic to felines. $hances are, you have at least one or to
things in common ith everyone at your office. Ioo! for these shared interests
or e+periences, and use them as an opportunity to genuinely relate to your
coor!ers.
N )e a team player
be illing to cover your teammatesE or your bossesE bac!s once in a hile. %his
doesnEt mean consistently ta!ing the fall for someone elseEs incompetence4
hoever, mista!es do happen, sometimes at inopportune times. If you can help
minimi0e the fallout, you should do so. )y helping your coor!ers maintain
their professional reputations, youEll earn their gratitude and respect, and theyEll
be more inclined to do the same for you in a similar situation. )esides, itEs the
golden rule.
In conclusion, your reputation is your most critical asset in todayEs
professional orld. 2evelop it and protect it, as you ould ith any other
asset. (hat or!ed in yesterday continues to or! today 7 you can let your
great or! spea! for itself, but you have to give it a platform.
Ho$ to impress at your ne$ >o0:-
=ou have finally found that ne "ob and you are e+cited about ma!ing a good
first impression. +he article 6ight ,ays to +hri4e at Iour 5e$ .o0 for
U.S. 5e$s and ,orld /eport has a fe$ suggestions.
%he first tip is that, as the riter Marty 'em!o states, is to remember that hen
you arrive that first day <your feet are in et cement.< In short, you have to
!eep moving or else you ill end up stuc! right here you are. Ioo! for
opportunities and donEt be afraid to move up.
Another suggestion is to ma!e sure you get credit for the or! you do. If you
have a good idea, bring it up at a meeting rather than to "ust your boss. 1tart
spreading the ord around about ideas you have so that if one of them is
implemented, the right person gets the ac!noledgement
*rom the first day, <train for your promotion.< (here do you ant to go ne+tH
Desearch hat people ho have that "ob need to do in order to get into that
position. %hen start positioning yourself to learn those s!ills and move into that
place.
%he final suggestion is to ma!e sure to as! for the things you ant. If you ant
to or! on a specific pro"ect, then let it be !non. If you ant to start learning
s!ills in a particular area, then let people !no about it and start hanging
around ith the right co-or!ers.
If you have spent the time doing the research, polishing your resume,
intervieing and then moving into the "ob of your dreams, ma!e sure you ma!e
the most out of it. If you dont ta!e advantage of opportunities from the first
day, you could end up as miserable as you ere in your old "ob.
Ho$ to impress management and colleagues in the
office:-
+here are se4eral $ays in $hich office $orers can impress 0oth
colleagues and management.
:ffice colleagues and management can 0e impressed 0y a hard $or ethic
and a spar of genius, com0ined $ith a positi4e attitude to$ards hard
$or in and around the office en4ironment.
Arriving at your office space and starting or! before the official office or!
day starts is alays a good ay to impress management.
2oing this shos commitment to the "ob and a illingness to or! longer
hours than scheduled for is alays loo!ed favorably on, particularly if your
or! yields results.
It also loo!s good hen office or!ers stay over after they are due to cloc! off
in order to finish or! for the day or to line up hat tas!s are re#uired to be
done the ne+t day.
3ffice or!ers can also help their colleagues by supporting them in their on
"obs in hatever ay possible. %his could result in giving feedbac! to an idea
or listening to a colleagues presentation for a meeting and suggesting ays to
improve it.
1haring pro"ects ith colleagues also helps to foster a sense of camaraderie and
office spirit hich also brings respect from colleagues and demonstrates to
management a illingness not only to ta!e on ne tas!s but a !noledge of
hen the time is right to let others shine in a competitive business orld.
Ho$ to Impress senior managers:-
=our e+posure to higher level managers is usually limited, so you need to ma!e
a good impression hen you have the opportunity. After all, the managers
above your boss can affect your pay, promotions, assignments, and even your
"ob security. (hether they are in business, government, or the non-profit
sector, all e+ecutives appreciate certain things. 6ere are a fe ays to ma!e the
most of your encounters ith the higher-ups.
8. Consider the 0ig picture. %he higher you go in an organi0ation, the
ider the vie. /+ecutives really appreciate employees ho thin! about
issues beyond their on narro "ob description. If you seem to
understand and care about larger organi0ational goals, you ill ma!e a
positive impression.
C. Colla0orate across functions. .art of seeing the bigger picture is
recogni0ing ho your "ob function connects to others. All too often
employees and loer-level managers get stuc! in their &silos and focus
only on their on ob"ectives. )ut high-level managers ant different
functions to or! together to achieve organi0ational goals.
P. 7e smart a0out money. All high-level managers are concerned about
money in one ay or another, hether its increasing sales, reducing
costs, managing budgets, or insuring overall profitability. If you sho
concern for finances, top managers ill !no that you appreciate the
issues that they must deal ith on a regular basis.
K. #s intelligent 2uestions. /+ecutives appreciate employees ho ta!e an
interest in the business, and they usually love to share their !noledge or
perspective. (hen you have a chance to interact ith managers above
your boss, try to have a fe ell-thought-out #uestions ready.
:. 3ropose solutions. Managers constantly hear about problems, so they
really appreciate people ho focus on solving them. /ven if an e+ecutive
doesnt agree ith your ideas, the fact that you thin! about solutions ill
be vieed positively.
L. Share interesting information. /ven though e+ecutives have a broader
vie, they !no little about the everyday details of most functions. And
they are usually #uite interested in hearing more about hats going on.
Any ne information about customers, employees, finances, or pro"ects
ill usually be greeted ith interest.
Q. 7e succinct. /+ecutives have limited time, so dont e+pect them to sit
through lengthy descriptions of pro"ects or problems. )e prepared to
convey your information #uic!ly and concisely. If they ant to !no
more, they ill as!.
G. Disagree respectfully. Most high-level managers have little respect for
imps. 3n the other hand, they e+pect people to respect their position
and their authority. 1o presenting a different vie ill often be vieed
positively, as long as you are non-confrontational and respectful.
9. Mae effecti4e presentations. (henever you present information to an
e+ecutive, you have a chance to ma!e a positive impression. Many
people ma!e bad presentations, so good ones really stand out. If you are
unsure of your presentation s!ills, read up on the topic or study people
ho do it ell.