Impression Management

IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT
In sociology and social psychology, impression management is the process through which people try to control the impressions other people form of them. It is a goaldirected conscious or unconscious attempt to influence the perceptions of other people about a person, object or event by regulating and controlling information in social interaction. Impression management is also called as self-presentation; if a person tries to influence the perception of their image.It can be defined as our efforts to produce favorable impressions on others. Most IM attempts are directed at making good impressions on relevant others. But, some employees & individuals try to make bad impressions also. IM is a skilful activity. Research studies (Schlenker, Wayne & Liden) have demonstrated that people who can perform IM successfully often gain important advantages in many situations. Impression management (IM) theory states that any individual or organization must establish and maintain impressions that are congruent with the perceptions they want to convey to their publics (Goffman). From both a communications and public relations viewpoint, the theory of impression management encompasses the vital ways in which one establishes and communicates this congruence between personal or organizational goals and their intended actions which create public perception. The goal is for one to present themselves the way in which they would like to be thought of by the individual or group they are interacting with. This form of management generally applies to the first impression. The idea that perception is reality is the basis for this sociological and social psychology theory, which is framed around the presumption that the others perceptions of you or your organization become the reality from which they form ideas and the basis for intended behaviors.
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 selfpresentation. Making a good first impression is crucially important in every aspect of your life and is one of the easiest things to learn to do. First impressions are a very important part of any society. We all judge others on first impressions and many times the conclusion or ruling of these judgments are totally out of our control. The following pictures show the first expression of two different girls in an interview that creates different impression on the interviewee.
POSITIVE IMPRESSION
NEGATIVE IMPRESSION
DEFINITION OF IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT (IM)
IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT IS DEFINED AS THE PROCESS BY WHICH PEOPLE ATTEMPT TO CONTROL OR MANIUPLATE THE REACTIONS OF OTHERS TO IMAGES OF THEMSELVES OR THEIR IDEAS. - RAO ET AL.
THE CONSCIOUS OR UNCONSCIOUS ATTTEMPT TO CONTROL IMAGES THAT ARE PROJECTED IN REAL OR IMAGINARY SOCIAL INTERACTIONS, WHEN THESE IMAGES DEAL WITH SOME ASPECT OF SELF, WE CALL IT SELFPRESENTATION. - SCHLENKER
IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT REFERS TO THE ACTIVITY OF CONTTROLLING INFORMATION IN ORDER TO STEER OTHERS OPINIONS IN THE SERVICE OF PERSONAL OR SOCAL GOALS. -ANONYMOUS
EXPRESSIVE IMPRESSIONS CREATE IMPRESSIVE EXPRESSIONS.

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IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT: SOME BASIC TACTICS

The two broad tactics of impression management are as follows:
A. Self-enhancement:It can be defined as efforts to boost our own self-image. Self-enhancement is that form of self-presentation emphasizing the promotion of ones positive qualities. There are many tactics of Self-enhancement. One important tactic of self-enhancement is to improve our appearance. This can be done in following ways:1. CHANGE IN WARDROBE (DRESS) 2. PERSONAL GROOMING (USE OF COSMETIC, HAIRSTYLE,USE OF PERFUME) 3. JUDICIOUS USE OF NON-VERBAL CUES.
Research studies indicate that all the above techniques work under some or 0ther condition. Brief summaries of some research studies of some research studies using Selfenhancement as an impression management technique are as follows: -
Women who had dress in a professional manner (business suit or dress, subdued jeweler) are often evaluated more favorable for management positions than women who dress in a more dress in a more traditionally feminine manner. (Forsythe, drake, & Cox).
It has also been found that eyeglasses encourage impression of intelligence, while long hair for women or beards for men tend to reduce such impressions. (Terry & rants). Wearing perfume or cologne can enhance first impression provided this particular grooming aid is not overdone. (Baron).
Most of these efforts to improve personal appearance are not potentially dangerous to the persons who use them. However, one type of effort to enhance personal appearancedeveloping a suntan is potentially harmful (Broadstok Borland & Gason).
Other tactics of Self-enhancement pose different kinds of risks. For instance, recent research by Sharp & Getz indicates that one reason why at least some young people consume alcohol is that it gives them the right IMAGE. In other words, they engage in such behavior partly for purpose of impression management. Research finding (Sharp & Getz) offer support for the view that some people do drink alcohol as a tactic of impression management to help look good in the eyes of others.
B. Other enhancement:It refers to efforts on our part to make the target person feel good in our presence. There are many ways in which we can enhance others self-esteem. Some of these are as follows: Flattery heaping praise on target person even if they dont deserve it. Expressing agreement with their views.
Showing a high degree of interest in hem. And expressing liking them, either verbally or non- verbally (Wayne & Ferris).
A statistical factor analytic study of impression management tactic by Wayne & Ferris on a sample of 84 bank employees (including 74 women) identified three categories of favorable upward impression management tactics. These are as follows:1. Job-focused (manipulating information about ones job performance). 2. supervisor-focused (praising & doing favors for ones for ones supervisor) 3. Self-focused (presenting oneself as a polite & nice person).
A large body of research evidence suggests that efforts to engage in impression management are highly useful. It has been found that impression management can influence important judgments based on impression of others.
Research studies by Wayne & Linden have demonstrated that impression management is a useful tactic during the first six weeks on the job. They found that the greater the extent to which the new employees engaged in other-enhancement (super-visorfocused) tactics of impression management, the more their supervisors viewed them as similar to themselves. Further, the more the employees engaged in self-enhancement tactic, the more their supervisors liked them. Most important, increased liking & feeling of similarly were strong predictors of performance ratings; the more supervisors liked their subordinates & felt similar to them, the higher they rated their performance.
EXAMPLE OF IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT (AS PER BASIC TACTICS): When we are under scrutiny, we will try to deliberately manage the impressions that others form of us. We will use self-enhancement to make us seem good, for example through smart dress, careful language, etc. The alternative is otherenhancement to make the other person feel good, such as with flattery.
Example
Watch people being interviewed on TV. Notice how a good interviewer uses other-enhancement to relax them. Spot how people use self-enhancement to look good.
Using it
Look good, sound good, and make the other person feel good. But dont over-do it!
IMPRESSION FORMATTION
Impression formation is a part of impression management. Impression formation is a process through which we form impressions on others. Impression formation can be defined as the process through which we combine diverse information about persons into a united impression on them. Forming impressions on others is an elaborate cognitive process. The initial or first impressions about others are very important. It is rightly said that the First impression is the last impression. The initial impressions we make on others will generally shape the course of our future relations with them in important ways. Once an important is formed, it is generally resistant to change. Thus, it is necessary to be careful on first dates, interviews & other situations in which we meet others for the first time. Large number of research studies have shown that first impression do seem to exert a lasting effect on both, social thought & social behaviour (Anderson, Wyer et al,). Solomon Asch who was heavily influenced by the work of Gestalt psychologists carried one of the classic studies on the Impression formation. One of the important principles of Gestalt psychologists was the whole is greater than the sum of its parts which meant that what we perceive is often more than the sum of individual sensation. Gestalt psychologists argued that each part of the world around us is interpreted, & understood, only in terms of its relationship to other parts or other stimuli. Asch applied the ideas of Gestalt psychologists to the study of impression formation, suggesting that we do not form impression simply by adding together all of the traits we observe in other persons. Rather, we perceive these traits in relation to one another, so that the traits cease to exist individually & become, instead, part of an integrated, dynamic whole. Asch studied impression formation by using a simple method. He gave individuals lists of traits supposedly possessed by a stranger, & then asked them to indicate their impression of this person by checking the traits on along list that they felt fit with their impression of the stranger.
In one of the studies participants were given the following two traits: 1. Intelligent skilful industrious warm determined practical cautious. 2. Intelligent skilful industrious cold determined practical cautious. The above list is differed only with respect only with respect to two words: warm & cold. Thus, if the people form impressions merely by adding together individual traits, the impression formed by persons exposed to these lists would not differ very much. The results of his study revealed that persons who read the list containing cold. According to Asch, the words warm & cold described central traits ones that strongly shaped overall impressions of the stranger & coloured the other adjectives in the lists. Asch obtained additional support for thus view substituting the words polite & blunt for warm & cold. When he did this, the effects on participants impressions of the stranger & weaker; polite & blunt., it appeared, were not central words with a strong impact on first impressions. In further studies, Asch varied not the content but the order of adjectives of each list.
For example: 1. One group read the following list. Intelligent industrious impulsive critical stubborn envious. 2. Another group read: Envious stubborn critical impulsive industrious intelligent. In the above list the only differences was in the order of the words on the two lists. Yet, again, there were larger differences in the impression formed by participants. For example, while 32 percent of those who read the first lust described the stranger as happy only 5 percent of those who read the second list did so. Similarly, while 52 percent of those who read the first list described him as humorous, only 21 percent of those who read the second list used this adjective.
On the basis of many studies such as these, Asch concluded that forming impressions of others involve more than simply adding together individual traits. While research on impression formation has become far more sophisticated over the years since Aschs early work, both the methods that Asch developed & many of his basic ideas about impression formation have withstood the test of time & are still reflected in studies being conducted today.
Impression formation: A Cognitive Approach

The study of Impression formation has been investigated from several different perspectives for many decades. Initial research on Impression formation focused on the question of how we combine so much diverse information about others into unified impression. According to one view (Anderson) we combine this information into a weighted average in which each piece of information about other another person is weighted in terms of its relative importance. The various factors that were found to influence the relative weight age were as follows: -
1. The Sources of Input: The information from sources we trust or admire is weighted more heavily than information from sources we distrust (Rosenbaun & Levin).
2. Positive & Negative Nature of Information: We tend to weight negative information about others more heavily than positive information.
3. Unusual or Extreme Behaviour: The information that describes behaviour or traits that are unusual or extreme are moved valued & weighted.
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4. Primary Effect:Information received first tends to be weighted more heavily than information received later. Modern investigators have attempted to understand impression formation in terms of the basic knowledge of social cognition, i.e. the ways in which we notice, store, remember & integrate social information. According to cognitive view our basic ideas about how impressions are formed & changed is influenced by two factors: -
EXAMPLES: It refers to concrete examples of behaviour that others have performed that are consistent with a given trait. According to this view hen we make judgements about others, we recall examples of their behaviour & base our judgment (& our impressions) on these. For example, we may recall that our first meeting with a person, how he/she was rude, made criticism about others, & did not co-operate with a sick person who was with us. We will recall all these pieces of information & conclude that this person possesses the trait of inconsideration.
ABSTRACTIONS: It refers of mental summaries that are abstracted from repeated observations of others behaviour. According to this view when we make judgement about others we simply bring our previously formed abstractions to mind, & then use these as the basis for our impressions & pour decisions. If we have previously judged a person to be unfriendly, pessimistic, etc., we will combine these traits into an impression of this individual. A large number of research evidence (Klein & Loftus, Klein et al) supports the view that concrete examples of behaviour & mental abstractions play a role in impression formation. The nature of impressions considerably shifts as we gain increasing experience with others.
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Research studies by Sherman & Klein have explained how our impressions on others develop. According to them our initial impression on others consists primarily of examples of behaviour they have shown that are indicative of various traits. After we had more experience with people, however, our impressions shift towards consisting mainly of abstractions mental summaries of their behaviour on many occasions. In sum, existing evidence indicates that information does not occur in a cognitive vacuum. On the contrary, mental framework representing our previous experience in many social situations, & basic cognitive processes relating to the storage, recall & integrating of social information, play a role in it.
Impression management in the employment interview

Looking good to prospective employers
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The desire to make a favourable impression on others is universal. In one way or another, we all do things to attempt to control how other people see us, often attempting to get them to think of us in the best light possible. This process is known as impression management. Generally, individuals devote considerable attention to the impressions they create in the eyes of others-especially when these others are important, such as prospective employers. The impressions prospective employers form of us may be based on subtle behaviors, such as how we dress & speak, or more elaborate acts, such as announcing our accomplishments. They may be resulted of calculated efforts to get others to think of us in a certain way or to be the passive, unintended effects of our. When it comes to the employment interview, for example, there are several things job candidates commonly do to enhance the impressions they make. In recent study researchers audio taped the interviews between college students looking for jobs & representatives of companies that posted openings at the campus job placement center. The various statements made by the candidates were categorized with respect to the impression management techniques they used. Several tactics were commonly observed. These specific tactics, gives an example of each, & shows the percentage of candidates who used the techniques. Interestingly, the most common technique was self-promotion, which is, flatly asserting that one has desirable characteristics. In this case, candidates commonly described themselves as being hardworking, interpersonally skilled, goal oriented, & effective leaders. Importantly, the study also found that candidates found that candidates used the impression management techniques with great success. The more they relied on these tactics, the more positively they were viewed by the interviewer along several important dimensions (e.g., fit with the organization). This study not only confirms that job candidates do indeed rely on impression management techniques during job interviews but also that these cultivate the positive impressions desired. With this in mind, the job interview may be seen as an ongoing effort on behalf of candidates to present them
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favorably & for interviewers to try to see through those attempts to judge candidates accurately. As the evidence suggests, this task may not be a simple as it seems.
IMPRES SION MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUE
DESCRIPTION
FREQU ENCY USING TECHNIQUE (%)
Self -promotion situation at hand (e.g., I am hard worker).
Dire ctly describing oneself in appositive manner for the 100
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Per Describing past events that make oneself looks good sonal stories (e.g., In my old job, I worked late anytime it was needed). Expressing beliefs that are assumed to be held by the Opinion conformity Entitl ements target (e.g., agreeing with something the interviewer says). Claming responsibility for successful past events (e.g., I was responsible for the 90 percent sales increase that resulted). Making statements that flatter, praise, or commitment Other enhancement the target (e.g., I am very impressed with your 46 companys growth in recent years). Enha Claming that a positive event was more positive than it ncements Over coming obstacles really was (e.g., not only did our department improve, it was best in the entire company). Describing how one succeeded despite obstacles that should have lowered performance (e.g., I managed to get a 3.8 average although I worked two part time jobs). Justifica Accepting responsibility for ones poor performance tions but denying the negative implications of it (e.g., our team didnt win a lot, but its just how you play the game that really matters). 33 42 50 54 96
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Corporate Image: impression management by organisations

Not only individuals but also entire organizations desire to cultivate positive impressions. These impressions are known as corporate image. As you might imagine, the impression an organisation makes on people can have a considerable effect on the way these individuals relate to it. Extending our discussion on his job recruitment setting, not
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only do individual candidates want to make good impressions on prospective employers but employers also want their job offers to be accepted by the best candidates. Research has shown that a companys image is strongly related to peoples interest in seeking employment with it. Specifically, it has been found that the more favourable a companys reputation is considered to be (based on a fortune magazine survey); the more interested prospective employees are in working there. This is important insofar as organisations must recruit the best prospective employees to perform at high levels. Given this important point, it seems worthwhile to consider exactly what factors contribute to corporate image. One thing that influences a companys image is the amount of information people have about it from recruitment ads. In general, longer ads are associated with more positives images. This may not only because of what is said in the ad itself but, also the mere length of the ad itself. Specifically, because recruitment ads emphasize the benefits of employment with a firm, longer ads describe more benefits than shorter ones, thereby creating even stronger positive images. Moreover, to the extent that people believe that longer ads reflect a companys commitment to obtaining good employees (by their willingness to invest in a large ad); they may be more impressed with a company as a prospective place to work.
Another mechanism that an organization uses to promote its corporate image is its annual report- a companys official statement to its stockholders on its activities during the previous year & its current financial state. These booklets contain such things as letters from CEOs & descriptions of projects & future plans-in short, information that helps shape the image of the company in the minds of both employees & stakeholders. Traditionally, annual reports have been stirringly beautiful, glossy booklets with elaborate photography & glitzy images, trappings of success designed to instill confidence in the minds of inventors. As todays investors are looking for value, companies are going out of their way to cultivate the impression that they are not wasting money. Looking too 16
successful by squandering money on elaborate annual reports may raise questions about where the profits are going. So, whether these publications are elaborate or just plan vanilla, annual reports are designed to cultivate the right corporate image- whatever that may be. Clearly, just lie individuals, organizations also stand to benefit by making positive impressions on others & work hard at doing so.
Charismatic leadership
The term Charismatic leadership refers to followers perception that a leader possesses a divinely inspired gift & is somehow unique & larger than life. A charismatic leader is the one who knows all the techniques of impression management & knows when & how it is to be used. A Charismatic leadership is idealized, i.e. Worshipped by his followers. He/she is considered as a superhuman or a spiritual figure.
Some important characteristics of Charismatic leaders are as follows: 17
Trust in the correctness of the leaders belief. Unquestioning acceptance of the leader Affection for the leader Willing obedience
A leader is more likely to be perceived as a Charismatic leader if he/she has the following characteristics: Strong need for power High level of self-confidence Strong convictions High degree of concern for followers needs An excellent communication style
Some important behaviors that are typically found to be present among Charismatic leaders are as follows: Use of impression management techniques to maintain followers confidence in the leader A Charismatic leaders is articulate & has clarity of goals Have high expectations from followers Has full faith & confidence in the followers
Charismatic leaders are influential & have a profound effect on the followers because of the following factors: Such leaders usually porpoise a vision. They describe, in vivid, emotion provoking terms, an image of what their society or group can & should become.
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Charismatic leaders go beyond stating a dream or vision. They also offer a route for searching it. They tell their followers, in straightforward term, how to get from here to there. Charismatic leaders engage in framing. They define the goals for their group in away that gives extra meaning & purpose to the goals & to the actions needed to attain them. Most Charismatic leaders are also indulging in acts of self-sacrifice. They give up important personal benefits for him good of group & for the sake of their vision.
A Charismatic leader need not be always positive. In fact some characteristic leaders are a positive mask underneath which is hidden their true negative self. Some problems of negative Charismatic leaders are as follows: They may start grandiose projects only to face failure They may create elaborate vision but means to execute that vision may be absent in them. They generally fail to develop component successors Charismatic theory is interested in emphasizing on the characteristics of the leader.
IMPRESSIVE COMMUNICATION
Communication is one of the important aspects of impression management. When a person communicates, there are some types of qualities that a person must have in his/her communication like Body language, Power of words, and his/her Actions. Communication plays an important role to make an impression on others. Communication is among the major interactions between Individuals, Group & Other entities whether business, political groups & social organisations. It is significantly affects social 19
relationships between individuals & groups for it is cited as a central element in the establishment of relationships between entities. In organisation, communication is a very important activity of executives & leaders at any level, managers spend a bigger percentage of their activities in receiving, sending, message & processing information. It is through communication that they give instructions, directives, advice, information about goals, etc. to their subordinates. Similarly it is through communication that they receive information upwards from their subordinates about performance, information about clarity of instructions, directives, goals & views, attitudes, opinions & suggestions to their employees. As such communication is cited as a factor which pays a very important role in managerial & organizational effectiveness.
DEFINITION OF COMMUNICATION: COMMUNICATION IS THE TRANSFER OF INFORMATION & UNDERSTANDING FROM ONE PERSON TO ANOTHER PERSON. IT IS A WAY OF REACHING OTHERS WITH IDEAS, FACTS & THOUGHTS & VALUE. I IS ABRIDGE OF MEANING AMONG PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN SHARE WHAT THEY FEEL & KNOW.BY USING THIS BRIDGE A PERSON CAN CROSS SAFELY THE RIVER OF MISUNDERSTANDING THAT SOMETIMES SEPRATES PEOPLE.(KEITH)
PURPOSE OF COMMUNICATION: The purpose of communication is informing others & becoming informed, evaluating an organizations inputs & outputs, directing others & being directed, influencing others & being influenced. Communication basically integrates the managerial functions & it also relates an enterprise to its external environment.
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EFFECTS OF POOR COMMUNIOCATION: Poor communication has a drastic effect on production & individual relationships. It leads to confusion, mistakes, wastages & accidents. Employees become frustrated & morale is undermined resulting in lack of motivation & low productivity, unrest & strikes follow. Very little information is sent upward to managers who are unaware of the situation as the complaints, grievances &b trouble spots & reach the lower levels. There is general feeling of dissatisfaction & therefore, the absence of co-operation.
SELF
Though we often talk about self as one whole identity, we display multiple selves. We choose to present ourselves depending on a situation. According to the psychologist, William James, a man generally shows a different side of himself to different groups he meets. For e.g. he would show one side of himself to his friends while showing another side of him to his kids. He keeps his self- presentation changing depending on what others expect from him.
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SELF-MONITORING
DEFINITION: Self-monitoring is one important component of self-concept. It can be defined as a personality disposition that ranges from the tendency to regulate ones behavior on the basis of the situation (high self-monitors) to the tendency to regulate ones behavior on the basis of internal factors (low self-monitors). It is also defined as the extent to which a person observes their own self-expressive behavior & adapts it to the demands of the situation. Self-monitoring theory is a contribution to the psychology of personality, proposed by Mark Snyder in 1974. The theory refers to the process through which people regulate their own behavior in order to "look good" so that they will be perceived by others in a favorable manner. It distinguishes between high self-monitors, who monitor their behavior to fit different situations, and low self-monitors, who are more cross-situationally consistent. According to Snyder & Gangstead, individuals high in Self-monitoring are thought to regulate their expressive self-presentation for the sake of desired public appearances, & thus be highly responsiveness to social & interpersonal cues of situationally appropriate performances. Individuals low in Self-monitoring are thought to lack either the ability or the motivation to regulate their expressive self-presentations. Their expressive behaviors, instead, are thought to functionally reflect their own enduring & momentary inner states, including their attitudes, traits & feelings. In organisational life, both high & low self-monitors are subject to criticism. High self-monitors are sometimes called as chameleons, who rapidly adapt their self-
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presentation to their surroundings. Low Self-monitors on the other hand, are criticised for being in the own world & for being insensitive to others. Snyder designed a questionnaire to assess self-monitoring called the SelfMonitoring Scale, based on the assumption that high self-monitoring could be defined as consisting of: 1. High concern with the social appropriateness of one's actions; 2. Use of social comparison information; 3. Ability to monitor one's behavior to fit different situations; 4. Ability to do this in specific situations; 5. Trait variability.
MEASUREMENT OF SELF-MONITORING: Snyder who introduced this concept has developed a test to measure selfmonitoring behavior: The self-monitoring scale was criticised as being too overly broad by Lennox & Wolfe. In order to overcome the drawback of the drawback of the self-monitoring scale, they devised the revised scale to measure only two dimensions as follows: I. Sensitivity to the expressive behavior of other (I can usually tell when Ive said something inappropriate by reading it in the listeners eyes). II. And the ability to modify ones self-presentation (I find that I can adjust my behavior to suit different people & different situations).
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HIGH & LOW SELF-MONITIORS: -
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There are considerable behavioral & motivational differences between high &^ low self-monitors & some of the important features of high & low self-monitors are as follows: 1) High self-monitors more often use he third person (he/she, his her, their, etc.) as compared to low self-monitors who use the first person (I, me, my ,mine, etc,.) 2) Those who are high in self-monitoring were found to respond best to advertising that was image-based whereas low self-monitors responded to those advertisement that were quality based (DeBono & Packer) 3) Those individuals who are high on self-monitoring show greater confidence in ones decision, regardless of whether their decision was right or wrong. 4) High self-monitors make interpersonal choices on the basis of their external quality, while low self-monitors make choices based on how much they like the other person. 5) It has also been found that in a romantic relationship those who are low in selfmonitoring are more committed to other individuals & hence, have fewer & longer lasting relationship. 6) High & low self-monitoring is also related to extrinsic versus intrinsic dating relationship. Jones found that when asked about their motivation in selecting a dating partner, low self-monitors tend to stress intrinsic motives (such as similarity) more than high self-monitors do, while high self-monitors stress motives (such as the helpfulness of the partners connections) more than low self-monitors do. 7) It has also been found that those individuals who score low on self-monitoring are found to be self-centred, closed minded, insensitive to the opinions of others, &
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lacing in social skills. While those who score high on self-monitoring are found to be sensitive to the feelings of others, open-minded and socially skillful. 8) Howells found that high self-monitors had more positive personality characteristics than low self-monitors. He found that students scoring high on the self-monitoring scale were more sociable, affectionate, energetic, sensitive, intellectually curious, & open as compared to students scoring low. Low self-monitors were also found to be less socially competent & less confident about taking risks in social situations.
SOCIAL IDENTITY
Social identity is ones definition of oneself. It is our view of our-self & it also includes how we evaluate ourselves. Social identity can be defined as an individuals definition of himself, who he or she is? It also includes personal attributes (self-concept) along with membership in various groups (aspects shared with others).
Social identity generally includes the following: -
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a. Ones Social-concept & his/her unique features b. Ones gender & relationship (e.g. man, women, divorced, son, daughter, etc) c. Vocation or avocation (e.g. student, doctor, sports person, actor, teacher, etc) d. Attributes that people dislike (e.g. over weight, drug peddler, etc) e. Ethnicity & religion (e.g. Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Christian, Parsi, etc) Our Social identity considerably influences our interpersonal relationship. It indicates the way in which we like or dislike others. Changes in ones social contact also bring about changes in ones Social identity, which require considerable adjustment.
The two most important components of Social identity are as follows: Self & components of self such as self-concept, self-esteem, self-focussing, selfmonitoring & self-efficacy Gender, especially the social determinants of gender identity, gender roles & the way behaviour is influenced by these attributes.
SELF-ESTEEM
Self-esteem is an evaluation of ones self. Self-esteem refers to an individuals attitude about himself or herself, involving self evaluation along positive/negative dimension. A person with high self-esteem perceives himself or herself as better, more capable & of greater worth than does someone with a low Self-esteem. Self-esteem as a personality trait is considerably influenced by ones childhood experiences. Kaplan & Pokorny found that married adults who scored lower in self-esteem
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had childhood experiences that included negative events lie fathers death, the hospitalization of a parent for mental illness, remarriage of a parent, etc. in other research with adults, low self-esteem was found to be associated with many unpleasant childhood experiences such as worries about grades, fear of being punished by the parent & the selfperception of being physically unattractive. One reason why negative perceptions can lead to low self-esteem can convince a young person that he or she is less worthwhile than others.
Recent research literature suggests that high low self-esteem is correlated with the following: Positive feelings about oneself Perceiving oneself as having strength & abilities in important areas of life Realizing that we have strength as well as weakness That our strengths are more important than our weakness Ones low self-esteem influences many areas of our life & functioning. A brief summary is presented below.
Low Self-esteem: Individuals who are low in self-esteem report more negative emotions such as depression Low self-esteem individuals are more effected & concerned with social evaluations, because these individuals are less certain about self-worth
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Those who are low in self-esteem react by complementing sources of positive feedback & derogating sources of negative feedback Individuals with low self-esteem perform poorly in interpersonal situations Those low in self-esteem react badly to all failure & to negative feedback of all kinds. Individuals who have low self-esteem also have a tendency to over generalize on the basis of failure. For example: - failure to get a date with one person would make them think that they are not beautiful, worthwhile, etc. & that they will never, in life, get a date.
HIGH SELF-ESTEEM: High self-esteem leads to positive feelings about oneself Individuals who are high in self-esteem perform better academically, are better adjusted psychologically, less afraid of failure & death, express anger appropriately & engage in self-enhancing behaviours, such as evaluating their own groups work positively. Individuals who have high self-esteem have a tendency to attribute failure to external rather than internal causes & to perform better following either success or failure. Individuals who have high self-esteem have social sills, which are better, developed as compared to individuals who are low in self-esteem Individuals who have high self-esteem function better in interpersonal situations than do those with low self-esteem.
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Why do we engage in self-evaluation?

There are three motives, according to Sedikides, in evaluating our-self. These are as follows: Self-assessment (seeking accurate self-knowledge whether positive or negative) Self-enhancement (seeking favourable self-knowledge) Self-verification (seeking fair obvious self-knowledge & that is probably true) Individuals generally prefer self-enhancement & they leas preferences to selfassessment. Research studies have also shown that most people do not really want o now more about themselves, rather, they want either positive information that simply confirms what they already know. There are some individuals who individuals who only want positive information about themselves. The self-esteem of such individuals can be enhanced by external events. Providing experiences to such individuals, which would create positive mood, enhances their self-esteem.
Organisation Based Self-esteem (OBSE): Pierce et al. developed an important concept of self-esteem, which is great importance to the students of management. It is called as organisation Based Self-Esteem. It is defined as the self perceived value that individuals have of themselves as organization members acting within an organizational context. Individuals who score high on OBSE tend to view themselves as important, worthwhile, effectual & meaningful within the context of their employing organisation.
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Factors influencing OBSE: Three important factors that are found to increase organizational based self-esteem are as follows: -
Managerial Respect: OBSE tends to increase when employees believe their supervisors have a genuine concern for employees welfare.
Organisational structure: Flexible, organic organisation structure generates higher OBSE than do mechanistic (rigid, bureaucratic) structures.
Job complexity: Complex & challenging jobs are foster higher OBSE than do simple, repetitious & boring jobs.
OBSE influences many important aspects of an individuals behaviour in an organisational context (Matejka & Dunsing). Some of these are as follows: -
Global self-esteem Job-performance Intrinsic motivation General satisfaction Citizenship behaviour: it involves doing things beneficial for the organisation itself. 30
Organisational commitment & satisfaction.
Increasing self-esteem on-the-job: It has been shown that managers can help build employee self-esteem in the following ways: By being supportive & showing concern for personal; problems, interests, contributions, etc By providing work to employees which is challenging & which suits individuals values, skills & abilities By providing work to employees which involves variety By striving hard to achieve & maintain management-employee cohesiveness & trust Developing faith in each employees self-management ability.
THEORIES OF IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT
There are various theories of impression management/self-presentation. The theory called Symbolic Interactionism, by C.H.Cooley and G.H.Mead, stressed that participants in social interactions try to take the role of the other and see themselves as others see them. Another theory, called presentation of the self in everyday life, by Erving Goffman says that the social interaction is a theatrical performance. Every person
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chooses a face as a background for social interaction. Both, these theories agree that we present ourselves depending on the situation and others perception about us. Sometimes we want to look good and sometimes we just want to maintain necessary performance so that we do not look bad. Jones and Pittman identified five tactics of selfpresentation that the person may adapt. They are:
1) Ingratiation: This is a class of strategic behaviors illicitly designed to influence a particular other person concerning the attractiveness of one's personal qualities. The goal of ingratiator is being likeable. This involves complimenting another person or indulging in flattery with certain amount of credibility and honesty. It also involves conforming, another persons view point. It has been observed that we like people who think or act like us. Thus presenting ourselves in the same way can generate favorable response from others.
2) Intimidation: In this strategy the person arouses fear among others to get the work done. He does not care about being likeable, all he wants is to control others and exercise his powers.
3) Self- promotion: This is a kind of advertising. The self-promoter wants to be seen as competent in certain areas. He may acknowledge minor flaws in his skills while emphasizing stronger points of his personality. However, if his claims do not match his abilities, then he may create a very bad impression.
4) Exemplification: -
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In this strategy, the person tries to elicit the impression of moral worthiness and integrity while creating a feeling of guilt among others. When a person says, I will finish this work even if I fall sick but you go and enjoy. he is using this strategy.
5) Supplication: In this strategy the person advertises his weaknesses in order to get sympathy. The person portrays himself as helpless to get the help from others.
Although, a person may use all the five tactics on different occasions, some people specialize in one or two tactics. Sometimes they use more than one strategy to influence others. Self-presentation tactics seem to be a matter of selecting certain characteristics and omitting others rather than a deliberate deception. Some people may stick to one tactic for so long that it may become a consistent aspect of their personality. Impression-management is neither good nor bad, it is an integral part of our social interaction and everyone gets involved in it everyday.
SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM (H COOLEY & GW MEAD)
Symbolic interactionism
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A leading American social psychological theory which focuses upon the ways in which meanings emerge through interaction. Its prime concern has been to analyse the meanings of everyday life, via close observational work and intimate familiarity, and from these to develop an understanding of the underlying forms of human interaction. The theory has four key factors. The first highlights the ways in which human beings are distinctly symbol-manipulating animals. It is through symbols that they, alone of all the animals, are capable of producing culture and transmitting a complex history. Interactionists are always concerned to study the ways in which people give meaning to their bodies, their feelings, their selves, their biographies, their situations, and indeed to the wider social worlds in which their lives exist. Research strategies such as participant observation are employed, which enable the researcher to gain access to these symbols and meanings. There is a broad affinity here to semiology, but unlike at least some positions in semiology which seek the structures of language, Interactionists are more concerned with the ways in which meaning is always emergent, fluid, ambiguous, and contextually bound. This leads to a second factor: that of process and emergence. For the interactionist, the social world is a dynamic and dialectical web, situations are always encounters with unstable outcomes, and lives and their biographies are always in the process of shifting and becoming, never fixed and immutable. Attention is fixed, not upon rigid structures (as in many other versions of sociology), but upon streams of activity with their adjustments and outcomes. Concepts such as career, negotiated order, becoming, encounters, and impression management are central to this approach.
A third focus of interactionism highlights the social world as precisely that interactive. From this point of view there is no such thing as a solitary individual: humans are always connected to others. The most basic unit of interactionist analysis is that of the self, which stresses the ways in which people can (indeed must) come to view themselves as objects, and assume the role of others through a process of role-taking. A fourth theme, derived from Georg Simmel, is that interactionism looks beneath these symbols, processes, and interactions in order to determine underlying patterns or
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forms of social life. Interactionists seek generic social processes. Thus, while they may study the life-experience of doctors, dance-band musicians, drug-users, and the dying, they can detect common processes at work in all such seemingly disparate groupings. Symbolic interactionism developed in the University of Chicago, in the first few decades of this century, and first achieved prominence when the Chicago School came to dominate early American sociology. However, it again became very influential during the 1960s, as a challenge to the dominance of Talcott Parsons and Grand Theory (sometimes being referred to, during the heyday of functionalism, as the loyal opposition). It was particularly influential in the development of the labeling theory of deviance, but also in such fields as occupational research (Everett Hughes), medical sociology (Anselm Strauss), and in the study of classroom interaction. Strauss has pioneered a number of developments in interactionist theory. From his early work on identity (in Mirrors and Masks, 1969) to his formulation of the concept of negotiated order, his work exemplifies a major methodological concern with qualitative research (usually, for him, in medical settings), the development of appropriate strategies for doing such research (the so-called grounded theory approach), and the building of case-study theory which moves beyond itself into a more formal sociology. In the 1970s interactionism attracted considerable criticism for its neglect of social structure, power, and history. More recent interactionist writings have shown this critique to be misguided; and, in the process, have revitalized the theory. For example, Sheldon Stryker has attempted to enunciate a version of symbolic interactionism which more clearly relates the conventionally micro sociological concerns of that perspective to the organizational and societal levels of analysis, mainly by an imaginative restatement of role theory. In particular, Stryker has been concerned with the idea of role-making, the active creation of roles (rather than mere taking of them), where some social structures permit more such creativity than do others. In the 1990s interactionism has provided analyses of a range of new phenomena, and has become more theoretically sophisticated (some might say eclectic) in creating links
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to post-modernism (in the work of Norman Denzin), feminism, semiology, and cultural theory.
THE PRESENTAION OF SELF IN EVERYDAY LIFE

Erving Goffman's The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, published in 1959, provides a detailed description and analysis of process and meaning in mundane interaction. Goffman explores the details of individual identity, group relations, the impact of environment, and the movement and interactive meaning of information. His perspective, though limited in scope, provides new insight into the nature of social interaction and the psychology of the individual.
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Goffman employs a "dramaturgical approach" in his study, concerning himself with the mode of presentation employed by the actor and its meaning in the broader social context. Interaction is viewed as a "performance," shaped by environment and audience, constructed to provide others with "impressions" that are consonant with the desired goals of the actor. The performance exists regardless of the mental state of the individual, as persona is often imputed to the individual in spite of his or her lack of faith in -- or even ignorance of -- the performance. Goffman uses the example of the doctor who is forced to give a placebo to a patient, fully aware of its impotence, as a result of the desire of the patient for more extensive treatment. In this way, the individual develops identity or persona as a function of interaction with others, through an exchange of information that allows for more specific definitions of identity and behavior. The process of establishing social identity, then, becomes closely allied to the concept of the "front," which is described as "that part of the individual's performance which regularly functions in a general and fixed fashion to define the situation for those who observe the performance". The front acts as a vehicle of standardization, allowing for others to understand the individual on the basis of projected character traits that have normative meanings. As a "collective representation," the front establishes proper "setting," "appearance," and "manner" for the social role assumed by the actor, uniting interactive behavior with the personal front. The actor, in order to present a compelling front, is forced to both fill the duties of the social role and communicate the activities and characteristics of the role to other people in a consistent manner. This process, known as "dramatic realization", is predicated upon the activities of "impression management," the control (or lack of control) and communication of information through the performance. In constructing a front, information about the actor is given off through a variety of communicative sources, all of which must be controlled to effectively convince the audience of the appropriateness of behavior and consonance with the role assumed. Believability, as a result, is constructed in terms of verbal signification, which is used by the actor to establish intent, and non-verbal signification, which is used by the audience to verify the honesty of statements made by the individual. Attempts are made to present an "idealized" version of the front, more consistent with the norms, mores, and 37
laws of society than the behavior of the actor when not before an audience. Information dealing with aberrant behavior and belief is concealed from the audience in a process of "mystification," making prominent those characteristics that are socially sanctioned, legitimating both the social role of the individual and the framework to which the role belongs. Goffman explores nature of group dynamics through a discussion of "teams" and the relationship between performance and audience. He uses the concept of the team to illustrate the work of a group of individuals who "co-operate" in performance, attempting to achieve goals sanctioned by the group. Co-operation may manifest itself as unanimity in demeanor and behavior or in the assumption of differing roles for each individual, determined by the desired intent in performance. Goffman refers to the "shill," a member of the team who "provides a visible model for the audience of the kind of response the performers are seeking," promoting psychological excitement for the realization of a (generally monetary) goal, as an example of a "discrepant role" in the team. In each circumstance, the individual assumes a front that is perceived to enhance the group's performance. The necessity of each individual to maintain his or her front in order to promote the team performance reduces the possibility of dissent. While the unifying elements of the team are often shallower and less complete than the requirements of performance, the individual actor feels a strong pressure to conform to the desired front in the presence of an audience, as deviance destroys the credibility of the entire performance. As a result, disagreement is carried out in the absence of an audience, where ideological and performance changes may be made without the threat of damage to the goals of the team, as well as the character of the individual. In this way, a clear division is made between team and audience. Goffman describes the division between team performance and audience in terms of "region," describing the role of setting in the differentiation of actions taken by individuals. Extending the dramaturgical analysis, he divides region into "front," "back," and "outside" the stage, contingent upon the relationship of the audience to the
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performance. While the "official stance" of the team is visible in their front stage presentation, in the backstage, "the impression fostered by the presentation is knowingly contradicted as a matter of course," indicating a more "truthful" type of performance). In the backstage, the conflict and difference inherent to familiarity is more fully explored, often evolving into a secondary type of presentation, contingent upon the absence of the responsibilities of the team presentation. To be outside the stage involves the inability to gain access to the performance of the team, described as an "audience segregation" in which specific performances are given to specific audiences, allowing the team to contrive the proper front for the demands of each audience. This allows the team, individual actor, and audience to preserve proper relationships in interaction and the establishments to which the interactions belong. The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, though detailed, does not provide a comprehensive description of interactive processes. In exploring the construction of presentation among individual and teams, Goffman does not fully explore the nature of marginalized individuals, the importance of ritual or ceremony in the dramaturgy, or the construction of character. A reading of these complementary notions from Goffman's later work, including Stigma and Interaction Ritual, provides a vehicle for expanding the analysis of the interaction of everyday life into the broader experiences of human interaction. In this sense, Goffman depicts extraordinary circumstances as a means of developing the character central to the experience of everyday life. Through an investigation of his work in a broader context, the relationship between the forces that shape society and the individual becomes clearer. The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life is a work that lends itself well to a macro sociological reading. By placing Goffman's work in the context of the writings of other thinkers, a beneficial link between the micro- and macro-structures of society becomes visible.
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An important link may be made between Goffman and Durkheim may be made in an inquiry into the concept of "spontaneity." In The Presentation of Self, the importance of spontaneity emerges as an aspect of the performance, as the actor seeks to create a front that does not appear to be contrived. Spontaneity allows for the realization of the "true" self, an idealized type of interaction that allows the individual to realize a desired face. In The Division of Labor in Society, Durkheim describes a macro sociological model of spontaneity, a "finely articulated organisation in which each social value...is appreciated at its true worth". Durkheim, though primarily concerned with labor, describes a type of social interaction that, like Goffman's model, reaffirms the existing social environment through the notion of "truth." Each individual is bound to the contemporary social organization, while attempting to realize a sense of freedom in expressing truth. The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life provides penetrating insight into the nature of interpersonal interaction and the institutions to which interaction more strongly applies. Despite an unusual, anecdotal methodology, Goffman's work displays an uncommon analytical rigor in dealing with a comparatively unexplored area of social thought. Through an inquiry into the everyday life of humanity, the book provides a strong foundation for the understanding of micro sociological phenomena, an understanding bolstered by an investigation of his other writings. By limiting his work to a dramaturgical study, however, Goffman eliminates the possibility of applying the activities of the mundane world to the larger social world, a problem that may be reconciled by examining concepts employed in the book through the work of macro theorists.
IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES

IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES IN AN INTERVIEW: -
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There are different types of qualities which an interviewee must have in his /her life for making an impression on the interviewer. The qualities that can impress the interviewer at the time of interview are as follows:
PERSONAL QUALITIES: This area includes the personal qualifications required in the position: physical
appearance, health, dress & growing, voice quality diction, vocabulary poise, alertness & aggressiveness. Most of the qualities are assessed by the interviewers observations rather than by the applicants answers to his questions.
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: This area covers the type of schooling, quality of grades, class standing, social
activities, honors & awards & athletic accomplishments. Questions in this area can provide a good indication of an applicants initiative, independence, reliability, intellectual competence & emotional stability.
OCCUPATIONAL EXPERIENCE: This area emphasis not merely an applicants technical competence but also the
level of responsibility & sill he has attained in previous jobs, the position level & salary progression achieved & reasons for leaving former jobs. Questions in this area should focus at obtaining evidence of good judgment, initiative, drive & energy & ability to assume responsibility.
INTERPERSONAL COMPETENCE: This area includes the applicants ability to get along with others. It is not
enough to evaluate this area on the basis of the applicants behavior during the interview. Specific questions must be asked about his family, history, leisure-time activities, hobbies & community interests to ascertain his degree of social adjustment.
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Waiting for an interview
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Interviewer is taking an interview
Interviewee is selected for the job
LIST OF QUESTIONS: Before going towards in an interview, an interviewee must prepare himself/herself through different types of questions that can be asked /there are any chances to be asked in an interview through a interviewee can make impression on the interviewer. The questions are: What are your long & short range objectives?
What is it about the position that particularly attracted to your interest?
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What kinds of things have you done that we should be particularly interested in?
Here is a problem. How would you go about solving it?
What kinds of things you dont like to do?
Tell me about a product, organization & person & so on you admire? Why?
What has been your most significant accomplishment? Tell me why it was significant?
Which of your personal strengths, do you think will be useful to this company?
Do you prefer working alone or in a team?
How did you get along with your subordinates & superiors?
What would be the ideal job for you? Why?
Why do you wan to your current position?
What was your most disappointment experience in your current position? What
you might have done to improve the situation?
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What has been your best job so far? Why?
Are you willing to travel?
Have you ever just taken a thing or a situation & improved? Tell me about it.
Have you ever been in a situation where you have taken independent charge of a
job & provided a leadership?
THE IMPORTANCE OF FIRST IMPRESSIONS IN AN INTERVIEW

Imagine yourself in the position of being interviewed for a job. The things that you required to impress the interviewer are: * * * How you dress, The way you sit at the time of responding the questions, How you smile & look at the interviewer can all have powerful effects of first
impression that is formed on you.
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Research has shown that superficial clues, such as those above, do influence the first impression formed (Bull & Rumsey). The actual configuration of your face, something largely beyond your control unless you have plastic surgery, can effect the first impression. FOR EXAMPLE: - Adults with a Baby Face, large eyes & small nose relative to the rest of the face-may be perceived as more simple, honest & kind, but also as a submissive socially incomponent & powerless. People we judge as very attractive & generally perceived as interesting, warm, outgoing & socially skilled, such traits are regarded as central to impression formation & hence exert a high degree of influence.
HOW TO DO AN IMPRESSIVE PRESENTATION

Whether you speak to an audience of ten or one hundred, you will be judged 55 percent by your body language, 38 percent by voice quality and 7 percent by your words. Perfect your presentation by using a video camera or testing your speech out on friends, co-workers or family.
STEPS FOR MAKING IMPRESSIVE PRESENTATION: -
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Your topic should be clear. You should include enough research or data to back up your presentation. You should open your speech creating interest by using questions, stories, analogies or comparisons. You should use effective pausing and voice range. You should make good eye contact with your audience. You should give proper time for your speech. You should do a recap of your speech when closing to refresh the audience. You must have a strong close by using a quotation, slogan or a story that ties into your topic.
HOW TO HANDLE THE CROSS-QUESTIONS: Now that you have prepared your speech and delivered it, how will you handle the cross- questions? Be sure to tell your audience prior to your delivery that you will take questions at the end of your presentation.
This will allow you to covey your entire message without interruption.
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At the end, you may have a "challenging" person asking you questions. Perhaps you have already answered their questions once of twice. Take the time to explain that you only have five more minutes of question answering and you will gladly meet with the person after other people have had a chance to ask their questions. In the beginning of question asking, if no one speaks up, have your own question prepared that is geared to your audience. You might say, "This is a question I frequently get asked ..." By doing so, you may also jump start questions from others in the audience. Sometimes it is hard to be the first one to ask a question.
The most important elements of your speech are the beginning and the end. Be sure you do not weaken a powerful ending because of an ineffective question and answer session.
Three points to remember regarding questions: a) Restate the question b) Give the facts or statistics c) What is the benefit of your answer to the person asking the question, and to your community?
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TOP 9 WAYS TO MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION ON WORK

It is important that you make a good impression at work. If you make a good impression on your boss, he or she is more likely to give you more responsibility which can lead to promotions and raises. Here are nine ways to make a good impression at work.
1. Use Proper Office Etiquette: -
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Using good manners will help you make a good impression with your boss and also your co-workers. Office etiquette includes everything from the proper way to use email to knowing when, where, and how to use your cell phone while at work.
2. Face Up to Your Mistakes: When you make a mistake at work, which everyone inevitably does at some point, face up to it? Don't ignore your error or place the blame on others. Take responsibility and come up with a solution to fix your mistake. Your boss may not be too happy about it, but he/she will at least be impressed with your response.
3. Know When to Call in Sick to Work: Do you think coming to work when you are sick instead of staying at home will impress your boss? Reasonable bosses know that a sick employee not only isn't productive, he or she can spread an illness around the office rendering everyone else unproductive. Call in sick when you need to.
4. Come Through in a Crisis: When the unexpected happens at work, which will make a better impression on the boss -- the employer who wrings his hands and does nothing or the one who springs into action? Of course it's the employee who deals with the crisis quickly and effectively.
5. Know What Topics to Avoid Discussing: -
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Avoiding inappropriate topics may not help you make a good impression at work but it will keep you from making a bad one. Subjects that do not make for good workplace conversation include politics, religion, and health problems and other personal issues.
6. Manage Your Time Effectively: Your ability to complete projects in a timely manner will help you make a good impression on your boss. You should demonstrate that you know how to manage your time effectively by handing in projects when, or even before, your deadline.
7. Dress Appropriately: Make a good impression at work by wearing the right clothes. You should dress the right way for the "role you are playing." If you aspire to be a leader at work, dress like one.
8. Avoid Offending Your Co-Workers: Make a good impression or avoid making a bad one by not doing things that offend your co-workers. Always show respect towards your co-workers. The last thing a boss wants brought to his attention is the uncivil actions of one of his employees.
9. Represent Your Company Well at Business Meetings: -
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When you represent your employer at a business meeting making a good impression on other attendees will in turn help you make a good impression on your boss. Dress appropriately, network on your employer's behalf, and bring back information.
Things to Do to Impress Your Boss When You Don't Deserve It

Having a boss to impress but not the aptitude to do it? Then here are some tips to impress your superiors: -
1. Work during lunchtime, lunch during work time: -
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Or you can come early and work first, and then eat during work. Why? Bosses are only out of their room when they're arriving in the morning or leave for a break. This is the 'impression window', where you should display all your fake commitments towards your work. When they're in their room, you can then display your real commitment towards their doom.
2. Plan (imaginatively) your progress: When you sign in the morning, always plan what you should do for the entire day. When your boss suddenly calls you, show him that you're prepared and committed to resolve your assignments for the day. Then you can proceed with your nap.
3. See your boss for pointers: Bosses dislike passive workforce. See them regularly, asking important pointers on your task and explaining your progress (see above if you don't have one). FIND SOMETHING TO ASK. It displays your willingness to develop. These should also give you some peace of mind to relax in your cubicle, saving you from his surprise lurch to your table for updates and questions.
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4. Subscribe to relevant RSS feeds: If your office PC is connected to the internet, subscribe to the Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds from related websites in your industry. RSS feeds are updates (depends on the site) presented in tablature format providing you with quick insight and summary on the latest information you need.
5. Always bring some sort of documents around: -
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When you go around to other department for a little chat, don't forget your papers any papers. Roll it and walk fast. It gives an impression that you're on a formal assignment. When you drop by your target's desk, put the papers on the desk and point at it in regular intervals while enjoying your irrelevant conversation.
6. Always keep documents and word processors ready: Before you steal your company's time for your Friends or long surfing, make sure your Excel (or any application software you use for WORK) is loaded and ready. DO NOT MINIMIZE THEM. It eases your cover-up in case of your boss makes a surprise attack.
7. Never Submit Your Assignments Early: If not, you'll be given new task, and again you have to be starting your work early.
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Being Lazy Is Not That Bad

People talk about productivity. Being effective. Becoming enterprising, dynamic, energetic, exuberant, and lively. Blah, blah, blah. Every way you'll see people lecturing about these over-hyped terms. Hence, there are 5 points that every lazy person should remember: -
1. Lazy people always discover shortcuts: Come on... Do you think you stumbled upon CTRL+V while purposely reading the manual book? Or using the shorter trip home because "I don't like to waste money on petrol"? Lazy people always discouraged by bureaucracy and standard operating procedures. So they tend to find some work-around for a certain task. And the fact that they're too lazy to face the consequence, they even find ways to do it legally.
2. Lazy people sprung off new inventions: Telephone was never invented for 'discovery of communication evolution'. In fact, communication evolves because of our sluggishness. Remote controls because of our lethargic @55 reluctant to split with our sofa. Bluetooth because "Why do we have to always point the sensors?" laziness with infrareds. Internet banking because we're too lazy to queue. I-pods because "the discman is too heavy"... Optical mouse because were not that keen to clean the balls. Audio books??? Yeah, right. And. have you ever seen the 'revolutionary' Segway?
3. Lazy people buoys the service sector: With lazy people, companies find it increasingly difficult to motivate and inspire them. That's why training consultants are hired. Motivational camps are on the rise. And
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with lazy people constantly looking for medical leave (MC), clinics flourish. These people are often fired, so employment agencies are sought to do a better job in sourcing human capital. Heck, we're too lazy to keep our floor clean, that's why cleaning contractors exist!
4. Lazy people brings balance to the social hierarchy: What is right? When there is left. Who is hardworking? When there are lazy people. Lazy people are a relative reference to judge who is diligent. So they must exist so that management can offer promotion to the hardworking employees. Imagine all people work at the same rate, comes to the office at the same time, finish their work on schedule. Hard is it to find who deserves promotion?
5. Lazy people encourage thinking: I'm too lazy to think the fifth blessing, so why don't you figure out yourself.
Business Meetings
How to Make the Most of Business Meetings: Business meetings range from gatherings of small groups of people to large conferences with hundreds, or even thousands, in attendance. It is those mega meetings that many people find stressful. Here are pointers to help you make the most of business meetings and relieve some of the stress you may feel when you find you have to attend one.
Before You Go to a Business Meeting:
Meet Other Attendees in Advance: Get to know as many people as possible Look Your Best: When you look good, your confidence goes up. Make sure Dress Appropriately: Find out what type of atmosphere is needed.
before you attend the conference.
your hair and nails are well groomed.
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Bring Clothes that Travel Well or bring an iron. You don't want your Pack Comfortable Shoes: You may be on your feet for long periods of time.
clothes to look rumpled.
At the Business Meeting:
Introduce Yourself to Others: Making the first move may make you feel less Smile: Smiling (only when appropriate, of course) helps you look Psych Yourself Up: Remember the qualities others like about you. Get People to Talk About Themselves: Everyone likes to do this and it will Beware of Alcohol: You don't want to become too uninhibited.
vulnerable.
approachable.

take the focus off you.
When the Business Meeting is over:
Take Home Something Valuable: This could be an idea you may be able to Keep in Touch: Maintaining contact with those you met at the conference
implement or a new person to add to your network.
will make the next conference easier.
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ARTICLES
In all likelihood
You will ascend the corporate ladder if you up your popularity at office. Heres how to increase your likeability factor: Its more important to be respected than lied. There is no book of management or work place practices which will tell you the contrary. Yet, as a new, young workforce is redefining office life the world over, study after study is proving this conventional wisdom wrong-finding instead that the road to success is more often a series of popularity contents. A recent research at Columbia university showed that jobs, pay raises & promotions were more apt to be awarded based on a workers charisma than on his or her academic background or professional qualifications.
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Many firms back in India to have found that during corporate downsizing, hiring & firing decisions boil down to how well people are liked by their superiors. Its not enough jus to a good job; you have to be likeable in the eyes of your employer. Now the good news is that likability is a skill that can be learned. When people encounter you, they subconsciously ask themselves four questions that determine your likability. 1 They seek friendliness. 1 They ask themselves if you are relevant to them. 1 They deliberate whether you have empathy for them. 1 they ask themselves if you are real- i.e. authentic & honest
There are four-step process from a person can increase his/her likelihood: Increase your friendliness: Your friendliness is a function of your ability to communication openness & welcomes others. Make an effort to greet people cheerfully, smile often & adopt a friendly mindset that you communicate through positive body language & words. Increase your relevance: No, it doesnt mean you become a chronic attention-seeker. Your relevance has to do with your connection to others interests, wants & needs. The more people relevant you are, the more people like you. Relevance has three levels: -
A. contact: -
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The odds are, likability will increase with functional distance, such as sitting next to someone at a party or living nearby.
B. Mutual interests: Having common mutual interests or experiences makes people feel validated & generates a sense of community & -personal respect. Guys with an enhanced experience of dating might succeed here!
C. Value: Relevance is the strongest when the value you offer meets another persons wants & needs. This produces positive attitudes in the persons mind & contributes to your allure. To become more relevant, find ways to connect with the interests & needs of others. Know what theyre passionate about outside of work. Be aware of their emotional needs & willing to respond to them.
show empathy: Your empathy reflects your capacity to see things from another persons point of view & to experience his or her feelings yourself. When you connect with someones feelings, & they believe you are with them, it delivers a psychological hug. As yourself, do I Know how that person is feeling about his or her situation these days? Understand what it must feel like to perform the persons tasks day be it caring for dadajee at home or managing a heavy workload? Share the same emotions about key issues? By making yourself more emotionally available, your connection with people - & your likability will grow dramatically.
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keep it real: Realness is consistency between your beliefs & actions. To be true to yourself & others, you need to. a. Do what you want to be doing in life. b. Live with purpose c. Commit to the principles of your work. d. Be the same person on the outside as you are on the inside. e. Be direct & honest with others. Likability comes down to creating positive emotional experiences in others. When you make others feel good, they tend to gravitate to you.
UNEASY LIES THE HEAD

Here are five lies employees always use at office & how to better handle them.. People can impress others through lie. To help bring more honesty into the workplace, here are five lies through a person can impress others: -
1. ID BE HAPPY TO
Think about the last few times youve said youd be happy to do something. How often was that statement sincere? When a supervisor or colleague sends some work your way & you would rather work on more pressing tasks, you dont know how to turn him down without losing your job. Therefore, if a new assignment may interfere with your other work; ask your boss which tasks have the highest priorities so you dont miss a deadline.
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2. NO, I DONT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS

Who hasnt been given an assignment that just didnt make sense, but when the boss asked if you had any questions you stayed silent? After all, you dont want o be that person who dont wan o be that person who doesnt understand whats going on! Preface your question by saying that you just want to be certain you understand everything completely.
3. TOO MUCH TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD

Okay, sometimes there is, but more often than not, you slap the snooze button on your alarm a few times before you realize you should already be half way to work. Face up to it. Be ready to explain yourself if you have a history of consistent tardiness. After all, your late arrivals are noticed even if nobody says anything, so your excuses will run dry eventually.
4. IM NOT SICK, ITS JUST ALLERGIES

The only thing people like than getting sick is using their personal days to stay home. If you have too much work to take a day off or you dont have any personal days left, you might be tempted to pull one over on your flu-fearing co-workers & attribute the sniffles to allergy season dont. Addressing the issue by saying, I hope Im not coming down with a cold; I have many things to do.
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5. IM RIGHT ON SCHEDULE
Youve got a deadline for project & when your boss stops by to check on your progress, you wipe the sweat from your forehead & say everythings going to be planned. I am working on it, might be the better response. This answer lets the boss know youre hard at work without lying about how much youve accomplished. Although you might not to think it makes much a difference as long as the work is done on time, you could find yourself in need of some advice just before the deadline & youll be caught lying if youre asking about something you said was already done.
ASK MASTER
QUESTIONING YOUR BOSS CORRECTTLY IS BENEFICIAL FOR YOUR JOB AS WELL AS CAREER. 1. YOU REALLY PAID SOMEONE FOR THAT HAIRCUT? 2. MUSTT YOUR LUNCH ALWAYS INCLUDE GARLI? 3. HOW DOES YOUR WIFE EVEN TOLERATE YOU? These are probably some questions youd ask your boss if given the chance. But you have to curb your desires if you have any desires if you have any desire to keep your job. With bosses, there are certain questions to keep to you. Unfortunately, some of us have a tendency to keep all questions to ourselves, even when speaking up can help our careers. Workers choose silence over dialogue because they worry about damaging credibility, fear retaliation from key decision-makers or doubt their voices will make a difference. And when employees choose silence, progress suffers. Whether you keep quiet because youre afraid of embarrassing yourself or you dont think your questions mean much, you should start speaking up.
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Here are nine questions to ask your boss that can help your career. (Just dont as them all at once your boss is probably a busy person.)
1. HOW DO YOU MEASURE SUCCESS?

Employees often forget that their performances are graded in some form or another. In order to understand how you work is quantified, you should be speaking the same language as your boss. Find out if your manager is only concerned with numbers & results or if how you achieve them also matters. Then, you base your future work on his or her priorities.
2. WHAT AREAS DO I NEED TO DEVELOP TO ADVANCE MY CARRER?

This question shows your boss you are in control of your future & are not waiting for someone else to make things happen. If you can articulate what your career goals are, your boss can tell you what experience you need to gain before you can move up the ladder.
3. WHICH OF MY STRENGTHS WILL HELP MY CARRER?
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Okay, this does not mean you dont know your own my strengths. You might thin you know what your strengths & weakness are, but your boss could have a different opinion. This question isnt excuse to beg for a compliment; its an opportunity to show the boss you want to steer your own career.
4. HOW OFTTEN ARE PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS CONDUCTED & WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THEM?
Basic questions such as this one are crucial to your performance. Understanding the mechanics of your job should be a top priority at all times. Mae sure you know if you have quarterly or annual goals to aim for & how they impact your daily tasks.
5. WHAT ARE HE OPTIONS FOR GROWTH IN OUR COMPANY?

Although you might expect this questions belongs only in a job interview, its worth asking even after youve been employed for a few years. Company structures change all the times & you should now what opportunities are open to you if you want to advance. Once you know what your options are, you can decide what your next move is, whether its aiming for a new position or looking for a job with a better future.
6. DO I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY?
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This ones to avoid embarrassment. When you have a project that has many components or a new set of guidelines, be certain you have a grasp on what your task is. Tackling an assignment without knowing youre on the right path leaves the opportunity for a rude awakening on the due date. Check with boss-jee to ensure you understand everything the way he or she intends it. If you don ask the right questions, you could derail your own career even though youre fully capable of doing the work. Caution! Use resistant when asking the question. No boss wants to repeat him or herself ad nauseam.
7. WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PRIORIY WE NEED TO FOCUS ON?

You may not sound lie a five star hotel attendant but this simple question is important but often forgotten. Even if you cant help, your boss will take note of your offer. Its lonely at the top, so if your boss sees you r boss sees you as someone who wants them to succeed, you stand out.
8. WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PRIORIY WE NEED TO FOCUS ON?

This one often goes unasked because employees fear appearing incompetent. In reality, it shows concern about your responsibilities & your teams goals. When you have several ongoing projects & your boss adds more to your workload, knowing how to priorities grows difficult. Managers want to hear from employees who are concerned with improving business.
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9. CAN I TAKE ON THIS TASK?

Too many employees take a lasses-faire attitude toward their cash careers & relinquish control to their bosses have their own lives to worry about & dont have time o map your future. Rather than let your career meander, look for opportunities to prove you have initiative & leadership skills. Find ways to build experience & gain skills that you currently lack.
10 REASONS WHY YOUR BOSS HATES YOU

YOU MAY HAVE ENOUGH REASONS TO HATE YOUR BOSS. BUT THE BOSS ALSO HAS SOME OF HIS OWN TO FEEL HIM SAME. HERE ARE SOME OF THEM All the subordinates in this world hate their bosses. They make us work for long hours, nitpick everything we do & expect far more perfection than Einsteins Mathematical calculations. We bitch about them to every possible soul who he doesnt have access to & the reasons why we hate them are never ending. However, changes are your boss feels the same. Heres why:
i.
TURNING UP LATE
One day, the rickshaw broke down. The next day, the alarm didnt go off. The day after, your bai didnt turn up. Agreed, we all are hum\an, things change last minute & appointments can be missed. However, it really bothers your boss when he reaches office
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before you, even if you were the first person to leave office the day before. It conveys a care-a-damn attitude towards office etiquette & also that you are nothing but a lazy soul who cant pull himself out of bed.
ii.
ZERO INITIATIVE
All of us are born with a basic level of IQ. Use it more often & you can put a lot of things straight & need not bother the boss who is already pre-occupied with a dozen things under the sun. For example, if the interest is not working, dont give lame excuses. Call the technical department & get it fixed!
iii.
TOO MUCH INITATIVE
One thing hats worse than lack of initiative is taking too much initiative. You may be looking to score brownie points but why get into things that dont serve any purpose? Your boss has asked you to follow up with a client. However, you not only call times up 10 times a day but also visit them in their office with a photocopy of the proposal & a bouquet of flowers! Not happening. In short, do as told & leave the rest to your boss.
iv.
BITCHING & WHINING: -
The canteen guy served ice cold chai & the lift attendant forgot to stop the lift where you wanted to get off. Big deal! You arent he prime minister of neither India nor a Taliban leader who will get their fingers chopped for such criminal behavior. Dont make an issue out of it. Also, dont bitch about colleagues. It serves no purpose, spreads negative vibes in office & hampers work output. Your boss is not free to pay attention to your cry baby crap.
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v.
DISLOYALITY: -
You say your boss has an obligation to keep the staff happy. Then why isnt he reciprocated with an equal support & loyalty? You point out his mistakes in public & leave no opportunity to let other departments know what a big looser he is. And when you want to see him in trouble, you dont even mind leaking confident ional information to your friends in the rival company. Its this lack of loyalty that he hates you for.
vi.
LACK OF INTEREST
Its your boss duty to give top notch results. But what can he do when his team doesnt care about the company? Even your boss feels the urge to let it go, a times but he cannot. Try& understand his point of view & show that you are interested in the company affairs.
vii.
BEST FRIENDS? SORRY!
No, they dont want to be on your face book account & dont care where you hang out during weekends. Simply because they want to keep their personal & professional life miles apart. You may think that getting personal with your boss will earn you brownie points when its time for annual increment but that need not be the case. Let your work speak.
viii.
PETTTY LYING
Want a casual leave? Have a personal matter to attend to? Feel like working from home today? Well, and then tell him! But never make petty excuses for your laziness & to cover up your incompetence. If you cant help making such excuses, please do not expect
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them to believe you. This shows that you think they have no brains & that they can easily be taken for a ride. Few things are as insulting as this.
ix.
CHILDISHNESS
You just saw a video on a television & cant wait to tell your boss. But wait, does your boss really care? Remember, you may look up to him for experience & ideas but your boss is not your mom. So please spare him the unnecessary details.
x.
WANTING THEIR JOB
They spend all their time protecting you from the wrath of the big superiors & cover up for the team when something goes wrong. And all you do is something goes wrong. And all you do is scheme all day as to get hold of their job. Its not fair, is it?
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PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL THROUGH IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT

The process by which individuals attempt to control the impression others form of them More likely used by high self-monitors than low self-monitors
High self-monitors try to read the situation It is commonly accepted that individuals in organisations use impression management tactics to control the information available to others about themselves in order to control the image presented. In recent years, more and more research attention has been placed on how (i.e., what tactics are used) individuals can manage or manipulate the impressions others hold of them. Impression management research generally has focused on how a subordinate can manage the impressions of the boss.
Techniques management: Conformity: -
of
performance
appraisal
through
impression
Agreeing with someone elses opinion in order to gain his or her approval.
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Excuses: Explanations of a predicament-creating event aimed at minimizing the apparent Severity of the predicament.
Apologies: Admitting responsibility for an undesirable event and simultaneously seeking to get a Pardon for the action.
Acclamations: Explanation of favorable events to maximise the desirable implications for oneself.
Flattery: Complimenting others (superiors) about their virtues in an effort to make oneself appear perceptive and likable.
Favours: Doing something nice for someone to gain that persons approval.
Association: Enhancing or protecting ones image by managing information about people and things With which one is associated.
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Remember "Successful people look successful!" By remembering these points, you can help to more quickly advance your career.
USING IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT TO EXCEL IN YOUR CAREER
Most people looking to move up the corporate ladder realize the importance of mastering job-related skills. But what they may not also know is that soft skills - the way they carry themselves, dress, interact with others - can be just as important in determining whether they will or will not be promoted, and may even be creating a negative image without their knowledge. For example, I knew two managers who were competing for the same promotion. Both were equally technically competent and mentally ready for the move. Yet, one had outstanding social skills, dressed for the position and could easily strike up a conversation with anyone. The other was sloppy in appearance, hid in a corner and had poor eye contact at social events. Guess who got the promotion? Conversely, there are also many professionals who think that they are great at networking, making small talk, and connecting with people when in reality they exude an unprofessional image. Having well-rounded socializing skills are not an option, but a necessity of business life. With this in mind, here are a few tips on how to improve: Set goals. Where do you want to be in one, three and five years from now? Do you want a promotion? A new job or career? What are you willing to do to achieve them? Write them down and review them periodically to keep on track.
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Take a good look at yourself or better yet, ask your mentor for feedback: Unfortunately, we never see ourselves as others do. If you are not getting the results you want, ask for feedback from others to better understand what is holding you back.
Commit to the change you want to create: To make any change in behavior you must practice the new skill repeatedly for twenty-one days. Set aside time to do this and make it a priority.
Dress appropriately: Wear clothes that fit well and are appropriate for each business occasion. Understand the difference between traditional business attire and the different levels of business casual. Wear clothes that say you are there for business and should be taken seriously. If you wear it to the beach, on a hot date, or to the park - it's not appropriate for business.
Learn how to properly shake hands: Touch thumb joint to thumb joint. Make it firm - not a bone crusher or a loose fish handshake. People form an impression of you by your greeting. Make sure they've formed a good one.
Keep your body language open: In business, many professionals are not aware of how they are communicating with their body. Fidgeting or not making eye contact, will give you away. Keep a smile on your face and your body language open.
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Fake it until you feel it: If you feel as if you have already achieved your goal, it will happen. Individuals that maintain an upbeat attitude portray a positive image and attract positive company.
CONCLUSION
Impression management is a technique used by the people/employees to make the things easy for them. In todays world, people dont want to work hard to impress others through their performance & hence, they try to use different types of impression management techniques. Impression management is something called as an EXTRA EFFORT done by the employees to impress their superiors. In modern world, Impression management is used always in all fields. People are using the theory to look different from others. The competition is increasing day by day & to compete with others impression management always plays an important role in every field of work. Impression management is almost used in all the fields that are as follows: -
Corporate Business Sports
(Employees tries to impress his/her superior for performance appraisal) (Businessman tries to impress his/her customers to sell his products) (A player tries to impress his/her coach to get selected in team)
Impression management can be treated as a Bias method because it can put down someones effort & can be useful for them for those who done less work & use more these types of theories knowingly or unknowingly. It is useful at the time of interview, to
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know someones behaviour, to improve the personality of an individual, etc. Hence, impression management is neither good nor neither bad for an organisation. According to my point of view, an individual can make impression on others by doing 3 good things. They are as follows: Good work, Good work, Good work.
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Impression Management

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What is impression management?

What is impression management?

What are some tactics of impression management?

What are some tactics of impression management?

IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT

DEFINITION OF IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT (IM)

EXPRESSIVE IMPRESSIONS CREATE IMPRESSIVE EXPRESSIONS.

IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT: SOME BASIC TACTICS

Impression formation: A Cognitive Approach

Impression management in the employment interview

IMPRES SION MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUE

FREQU ENCY USING TECHNIQUE (%)

Self -promotion situation at hand (e.g., I am hard worker).

Dire ctly describing oneself in appositive manner for the 100

Corporate Image: impression management by organisations

Some important characteristics of Charismatic leaders are as follows: 17

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HIGH & LOW SELF-MONITIORS: -

Social identity generally includes the following: -

Why do we engage in self-evaluation?

Organisational commitment & satisfaction.

THEORIES OF IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT

SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM (H COOLEY & GW MEAD)

THE PRESENTAION OF SELF IN EVERYDAY LIFE

IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES

Waiting for an interview

Interviewer is taking an interview

Interviewee is selected for the job

What is it about the position that particularly attracted to your interest?

Here is a problem. How would you go about solving it?

What kinds of things you dont like to do?

Do you prefer working alone or in a team?

What would be the ideal job for you? Why?

Why do you wan to your current position?

you might have done to improve the situation?

What has been your best job so far? Why?

Are you willing to travel?

job & provided a leadership?

THE IMPORTANCE OF FIRST IMPRESSIONS IN AN INTERVIEW

impression that is formed on you.

HOW TO DO AN IMPRESSIVE PRESENTATION

STEPS FOR MAKING IMPRESSIVE PRESENTATION: -

TOP 9 WAYS TO MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION ON WORK

1. Use Proper Office Etiquette: -

5. Know What Topics to Avoid Discussing: -

9. Represent Your Company Well at Business Meetings: -

Things to Do to Impress Your Boss When You Don't Deserve It

1. Work during lunchtime, lunch during work time: -

5. Always bring some sort of documents around: -

Being Lazy Is Not That Bad

Before You Go to a Business Meeting:

before you attend the conference.

your hair and nails are well groomed.

clothes to look rumpled.

At the Business Meeting:

take the focus off you.

When the Business Meeting is over:

implement or a new person to add to your network.

will make the next conference easier.

UNEASY LIES THE HEAD

2. NO, I DONT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS