Stereotyping Me At Work
What Are They Saying About You At Work
“People are constantly observing your behavior and forming theories about your competence, character, and commitment, which are rapidly disseminated throughout your workplace,” says HBS professor Laura Morgan Roberts. There are plenty of books telling you how to “dress for success” and control your body language. But keeping on top of your personal traits is only part of the story of managing your professional image, says Roberts. You also belong to a social identity group—African American male or a working mother—that brings its own stereotyping from the people you work with, especially in today’s diverse workplaces. You can put on a suit and cut your hair to improve your appearance, but how do you manage something like skin color? Roberts will present her research, called “Changing Faces: Professional Image Construction in Diverse Organizational Settings,” in the October issue of the Academy of Management Review.
Q: What is the difference between “desired professional image” and “perceived professional image?”
A: It is important to distinguish between the image you want others to have of you and the image that you think people currently have of you. Most people want to be described as technically competent, socially skilled, of strong character and integrity, and committed to your work, your team, and your company. Research shows that the most favorably regarded traits are trustworthiness, caring, humility, and capability.
Q: How do stereotypes affect perceived professional image?
Three types of identity threats—predicaments, devaluation, and illegitimacy—compromise key constituents’ perceptions of technical competence, social competence, character, and commitment. All professionals will experience a “predicament” or event that reflects poorly on their competence, character, or commitment at some point in time, due to mistakes they have made in the past that have become public knowledge, or competency gaps. Identity devaluation occurs when negative attributions about your social identity group(s) undermine key constituents’ perceptions of your competence, character, or commitment. For example, Asian Americans are stereotyped as technically competent, but lacking in the social skills required to lead effectively. Even positive stereotypes can pose a challenge for creating a positive professional image if someone is perceived as being unable to live up to favorable expectations of their social identity group(s).
Thinking About Making Changes? Ask Yourself This…
• Do you care about others’ perceptions of you in the workplace?
• Are you capable of changing your image?
• Are the benefits worth the costs? (Cognitive, psychological, emotional, physical effort)
