Definition and Meaning
Impression Management refers to the calculated efforts made by an individual to get others to think of them in the best possible way. It is about pleasing or impressing others in a way desirable to them.
It is a process whereby someone tries to influence the observation and opinion of other about something. In a typical impression management process within a business, a manager might attempt to regulate and control information in their interaction with staff or the general public to give them the most favourable impression about their company and its objectives.
Part of the art and skill of communication is to understand and be able to manage the impression you give to others.
The strategies used to achieve this desired impressions will depend on specific goal that an individual has in his mind.
There are seven major communication goals and strategies.
1. Affinity: seeking politeness and immediacy strategies: If a person is new to the job or school or college will prefer to be well liked by others, hence he will behave politely and convincingly. He will increase the chance of being liked by others.
2. Immediacy Strategies: Immediacy is the creation of closeness, a sense of togetherness, of oneness, between speaker and listener. Through this immediacy, people try to increase the chance of attractiveness. For example, when a supervisor uses immediacy that all his subordinates will view him as good and honest person. Sometimes over immediacy may have adverse effects?
3. Credibility Strategies: It is to establish an individual’s competence, he may mention all about the qualifications, experience and background of him to prove that he is an expert. He will make all attempts to establish the credibility.
4. Self Handicapping Strategies: If an individual is about to tackle a difficult task, and were concerned that he might fail, he might use this strategy.
For example, if an individual has not prepared for exam and if he knows that he will fail then he might stay late at night elsewhere and will appear for the exam, because if fail, will blame on the late night sleep and try to escape from the failure issues.
5. Self Deprecating Strategies: It is a situation where an individual pretend to be unknown of the particular activity so that he can get easy help from others. The idea behind is to derive support from others and therefore exhibits his inability drama. But it will not be benefitted to them in long run. It is a short term beneficiary strategy.
6. Self Monitoring Strategies: It is about how an individual carefully monitor himself on what he say and do, in order to make his colleague think high of him. He will disclose all favorable parts of him and avoid disclosing unfavorable parts, and normally see to reduce risk factors associated in his behaviour.
7. Influencing Strategies: To make himself a leader, he will use all possible influencing strategies. Using knowledge, power and expertisiation he will try to influence others for their gain. But, if by trying to influence someone and fail, they will be viewed as less power and will be seen as unsuccessful influence attempt.
8. Image Conformity Strategies: It is about how an individual see himself in a party to be made his presence a remarkable one by telling jokes and by trying to amuse people. It is to make others know that this is who he is and how he wants to be seen.
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