IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT

Impression management is a set of behaviors directed at enhancing one’s image by drawing attention to one’s self. Often the attention is directed toward superficial aspects of the self, such as clothing and appearance.

Impression management also includes telling people about your accomplishments and appearing self-confident. In other words, it is the process by which individuals attempt to control the impression others form of them.

This skill helps people set favorable evaluations, superior salary increases, and more rapid promotions. In a political context, it might help sway the distribution of advantages in their favor.

IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT STYLES

Controlling Style
Here the individual (e.g. job applicants) focus the conversation on themselves. Thus, they tend to use self-enhancement, self- promotion and other active controlling techniques in an interview situation, because they reflect self-confidence and initiative. Applicants who use the controlling style are rated higher by the interviewer on factors such as motivation, enthusiasm, technical skills and they receive more job offers.

Submissive Style
Applicants using this style are focused the impression on the interviewer. It involves conforming their opinions to those of the interviewer and offering favors to the interviewer.

IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES

Conformity – Agreeing with someone else’s opinion in order to gain his or her approval. E.g.: A manager tells his boss; “you’re absolutely right on your reorganization plan for the branch office. I couldn’t with you more.”

Excuses – Explanations of predicament; creating event aimed at minimizing apparent severity of the predicament. E.g.: Sales manager to boss; “We failed to get the ad in the paper on time, but no one response to those ads anyway.”

Apologies – Admitting responsibility for an undesirable event and simultaneously seeking to get a pardon for the action. E.g.: Employee to boss; “I’m sorry I made a mistake on the report. Please forgive me.”

Self-promotion – Highlighting one’s best qualities, downplaying one’s deficits and calling attention to one’s achievements. E.g.: A salesperson tells his boss; “Matt worked unsuccessfully for 3 years trying to get the account. I sewed it up in 6 weeks. I’m the best closer this company has.”
Flattery – Complimenting others about their virtues in an effort to make one’s self appear perceptive and likeable. E.g.: New sales trainee to peer; “you handled that client’s compliant so tactfully! I could never have handled that as well as you did.”

Favors – Doing something nice for someone to gain that person’s approval. E.g.: Salesperson to prospective client; “I’ve got 2 tickets to the movies tonight that I can’t use – take them! Consider it a thank you for taking the time to chat with me.

Association – Enhancing or protecting one’s image by managing information about people and things with which one is associated. E.g.: A job applicant says to an interviewer; “what a coincidence, your boss and I were roommates in college.”


EXCERPTED BY: Timo Steve
COPYRIGHT 2007 Shaques Publishing Inc.