questions, and saying, “I do not know but will find out for you” when they do not have the
answer at hand. Thus, they can take specific actions to build greater credibility. By doing so, they
can begin to establish a positive ethos.
To build a positive ethos, leaders need to know how others perceive them; however, determining
how all audiences perceive them is not easy. Research on the ability of managers to judge how
they are perceived found that “most managers overestimate their own credibility – considerably”
(Conger, 1998). Few people really see themselves as others see them. The idea that when two
people meet, six people are really in the room – the persons as they see themselves, the persons
as the other sees them, and the persons as they may actually be – underscores the complexity of
perception and self perception (Barnlund, 1962). Deciding which perception would be the most
accurate would lead to a philosophical tangle, although determining which one is most important
would depend on the purpose of the encounter. If one of the individuals intends to influence the
other, then the perception of the other takes on great importance, and the need for that individual
to know how he or she is perceived becomes critical.
What can managers do to find out how they are perceived? The first step is to develop greater
emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the capacity to understand one’s own emotions
and those of other people. In addition to attempting to understand the self better, the prospective
leader should solicit honest feedback from others. Self-exploration and some sought-after honest
feedback from others will bring the greater self-awareness necessary to judge ourselves more
accurately and to recognize the signals others send back to us either in their words or, often more
importantly, in their body language and their actions. Also, managers can improve their ability to project a positive ethos by building a positive
reputation, improving their professional appearance, projecting greater confidence, and learning
to communicate more effectively. Reputation could include title, organizational positions, past
roles or accomplishments, and public opinion. They can achieve a positive appearance through
appropriate and culturally expected dress and grooming. To suggest confidence to an audience,
they can use eye contact, establish a rapport, and speak easily about a subject without notes when
presenting. By using language effectively to capture the meaning and inspire trust, they can
create believers in their message.