As we continue our series on Perception Management, the next tool we’ll uncover is really six tools in one. We call them the Perception Builders and Breakers, as they are key to either gaining a well-rounded, accurate understanding of the world around us, or to succumbing to an incomplete, often biased understanding of the world around us. Having an awareness of our perception biases is vital to succeeding on an intercultural level.
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We don’t see the world as it is - we see the world as we are.
It’s only to natural to see things from the perspective we’ve been taught and come to understand. It is good to find rhythms within home cultures and nice to be able to understand a person without them even needing to say a word because your cultures are so similar. But to thrive in a setting that is intercultural and to be part of a diverse society, equipping yourself and your team with the right tools becomes very necessary.
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To briefly reiterate should any reader be new to this series, Perception Management can be summed up in the following way: to see yourself, the other person, the relationship between, and the context of the relationship in a richer, fuller capacity. That’s what we’re after with this skill; it allows for deep understanding and a readiness to grasp a context from a new lens.
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Too often we make the mistake of teaching the theory of unconscious bias and then prioritize theory over giving the tools for overcoming it. We want to focus on giving you the tools you need to address the shortcuts your brain takes.
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Biases come into our world for the following reasons:
We don’t know what we should remember
We are given too much information
We can’t make head or tail of the information we’ve been given
We have to make a decision too fast
Out of the world of psychology have come 13 different perceptions and patterns regarding biases. These are ways that our brain sorts information, handles it, draws conclusions, and then makes decisions.
KnowledgeWorkx has taken the 6 that are most important from an intercultural point of view and utilize them in our toolbox, training people up to awareness of their biases and offering ways to expand perspective.
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The 6 Perception Builders and Breakers are:
One thing can be seen in two or more different ways
Sometimes we see that which is not there
Sometimes we do not see that which is there
Context makes us draw different, maybe inaccurate, conclusions
Our perspective makes us miss things
The mind makes assumptions which may not be real
To expound upon the 1st builder and breaker, One thing can be seen in two or more different ways, let's discuss the image above. At first glance, it may appear as a duck with a slightly gapped beak and large black eye. Stare for a bit longer, what do you see? The image may morph into something else, a bunny with two long ears and pursed lips. Or maybe your brain wouldn't even register the second image without prompting. Just because you saw one image, does not mean the second wasn't real and right there all along. This understanding is essential to apply to the world around us - from picking up morning coffee to sitting down for dinner with friends. One situation will always have multiple ways of being seen, and the way people sees depends on all sorts of factors and life experiences.
When these 6 builders and breakers have been taught correctly and a person can consciously get in front of their trained mind - great shifts in understanding can begin to happen. We can be in a new, unfamiliar context and yet refrain from making judgement calls or even just be at more peace when we teach ourselves how to step out of our perspective.
If the Perception Builders and Breakers tool has piqued your interest and you desire to learn about how to be a person of intercultural agility, click here to discover how you can get equipped with Intercultural Agility.
Read about the other tools in the Perception Management Toolbox:Â
DIR - Slow down the brain's Response with accurate Descriptions and Interpretations of a context
Mirroring - Stepping into another’s shoes to experience their reality more clearlyÂ
Single Story - Realizing that your perspective on reality is only one piece of the puzzleÂ
Cultural Learner/Cultural Critic - The choice to view another culture from the perspective of a learner, rather than a criticÂ
Over the last 20 years, KnowledgeWorkx has developed solutions that are global, locally relevant, holistic, and practical. Our innovative approach delivers more accurate analysis, which results in integrated and more effective solutions. Our solutions create a progressive and natural connection between national, personal, team, and organizational culture.
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