Ever have a negative impression of someone simply because you have heard or were told what others' opinions were of that person? I have heard a lot of negative things of a manager in the company I work for. When I was transferred to his department, I was excited about the move with one exception. That manager. I had a skewed impression of him simply because of things I have heard of him. I actually got along with him but was still plagued with the impression that was ingrained in my mind.
One day, my perspective has taken a complete 180. I was being interviewed by this manager and other members of management to be part of a special projects team. During the interview, I handed out a small presentation I had created entitled, "Why Me?". It is a small presentation that lists fun facts and achievements about me from high school, college and other places I used to work for. After the interview was done and as I was leaving, I heard this manager tell the other members of management to stay behind. I had no idea what that was all about. The next day, he approached me at my desk and asked me to meet him in the conference room. I walked into the conference room not knowing what he wanted to talk to me about. His first words were, "I asked everyone why you are still at the paygrade that you are still at?" He then proceeded to tell me of how impressed he was with my background and that he was going to do everything he could to put me on the fast track for promotion labeling me as management material. I was blown away. All I could think of was that I judged him too quickly. My perspective has drastically changed.
Everyone can have a different perspective of someone based on their experience with that person but I wonder how many of us have a negative perspective of someone simply because of what we have heard? I have made up my mind to initially have a positive outlook of people and avoid being tangled up with negative perceptions.
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