Do other people see you as you see yourself?

You will not know the answer to this question unless you ask it!

So earlier this year I did, with some surprising results. I asked two questions to a variety of friends, colleagues and clients to ensure I received a well rounded opinion. My first question was If you read an article in a publication that included me, what would the topic of the article be?

The Article Results:
The most popular first theme was ‘Getting to grips with Social media’ which was followed by a variety of general business topics including ‘Networking for business’ and ‘Marketing’.  Some of the more unusual ones included ‘How to organise yourself’ and ‘Who dares wins’.  The other suggested topics were ‘Innovative individuals’, ‘You can achieve in difficult times’ and ‘Brand identity’.

The second was Can you describe me in 5 words?
Starting with the most popular, the words that people used included ‘Creative’, ‘Reliable’, ‘Honest’, ‘Social’ and ‘Generous’. Now I must admit, I was rather please with the top five especially as being honest and reliable are two of the skills that I look for in others.

These were followed by ‘Fun’, ‘Trustworthy’, ‘Friendly’, ‘Intelligent’, ‘Focused’, ‘Determined’, ‘Organised’ and ‘Positive’.

So what did that reveal to me?
I realised that I am many different things to different people.

Nearly all of the individuals that took part realised that my passion for my work and my determination to get on in life is what motivates me on a daily basis.

Now, I wouldn’t necessarily class myself as organised, but I am more than happy for others to have that impression of me.

Have a go yourself and see if you get an insight and better understanding of how people see you.