Your brand is the shorthand people use to describe you when you’re not in the room. It’s your reputation. If you’re perceived in a way you don’t want to be perceived, that’s a problem. What do you want to be known for at work? How do you make sure you’re actually known for that?
A performance review is a bad time to discover the image you’re transmitting is not the image your manager is receiving. For example: You want to be known as the person who can solve tough problems. But if people keep saying, “Jordan’s great! They answer emails instantly, no matter when you send them,” then your brand risks being ‘always available’ instead of ‘strategic thinker’. Speed is fine, but if the story others tell about you is more around responsiveness than problem-solving, the perception gap just swallowed your brand whole.
The Gap Between Self-Image and Brand
You know how you see yourself, but that doesn’t mean your coworkers or managers see you that way. You might think you’re organized because you keep an immaculate to-do list, but if you miss deadlines, the team will call you scattered. You might think you’re collaborative because you let everyone weigh in during meetings, but your team may quietly wish you’d just make a decision already. This is where the brand gap shows up. It lies in the little misalignments between your intent and others’ experience of you. Do any of these common branding misfires sound familiar?
- Meetings: You think you’re being thorough by asking detailed questions. Others think you’re derailing the agenda.
- Email habits: You believe instant replies show reliability. Others assume you have too much time on your hands or aren’t focused on bigger priorities.
- Decision-making: You frame your approach as careful and thoughtful. Others see it as indecisive.
Your Ego’s Report Card
How do you bridge the perception gap? You ask people what they think. A 360-degree assessment, formal or informal, is one of the best tools you have. You gather feedback not just from your boss, but from peers, direct reports, even cross-functional colleagues. The feedback may sting, but think of it as your ego getting a performance review. Feedback is data and data is what you need to make decisions. It will tell you what to work on. Feedback usually comes with positives too. For example, maybe your manager says your presentations are a little too detailed, but your follow-through is unmatched. You can work with that. Soothing the sting with positive feedback helps you double down on strengths that people already notice.
Manage Your Brand
- Clarify: Decide what you want to be known for (e.g., problem-solver, reliable leader, creative thinker, efficiency expert). If you don’t define it, others will define it for you.
- Ask: Don’t wait for the annual review. A quick “Hey, when I run meetings, do I come across as clear and confident?” can reveal a lot.
- Adjust: People can’t read your intentions. They can only see your actions. Do you want to be seen as decisive? Start summarizing meetings with, “Here’s the call I’m making.”
- Repeat: Consistency is key. If you want to be the strategic thinker, don’t undercut yourself by showing up mainly as the fast replier.
How do you bridge the perception gap? Please share in the comments.