Executive Summary

By: Cameron Hirschhaut

Self-Perception vs. External Perception

In my exploration of self-perception versus external perception through the people styles
categories, I strongly identified with the Driver personality, which is characterized by
leadership and outspokenness. This self-assessment aligns with my life experiences
where I've consistently taken charge and led teams, both in work and school
environments. One of the ways we evaluated this was through the “My-Self Perception
Inventory” which is a survey we took at the beginning of the semester to see what kind of
personality we have and how we can use each other’s personality to build a stronger
group. My Self-Perception Inventory results confirmed my communication style, though it
presented an interesting contrast in the areas of assertiveness and responsiveness.
Feedback suggested I am perceived as more responsive yet less assertive than I view
myself, offering valuable insights into my professional demeanor. An example of this
feedback is the comparison of my self-perception inventory with the survey results. These
discrepancies were enlightening, highlighting a gap between my self-view and others'
perceptions, especially in professional contexts.

The Culture Map

The culture map has shown that the categories of leadership and evaluation have
significantly influenced my team interactions and professional conduct, as reflected in my
high scores in these areas. My role as a leader and evaluator within my group setting has
facilitated effective communication and project outcomes. My ability to lead and redirect
focus has been crucial in maintaining group cohesion and direction, while my evaluative
skills have contributed to the improvement of our collective presentations. These
experiences underline the practical application of my cultural map preferences,
demonstrating their impact on teamwork and professional development.
Survey Results And Comparison

The survey that was sent out to my peers and

professional associates provided some noticeable
trends. The first trend was that every adjective I
used to describe myself was used by at least one
respondent to describe me as well. Similarly, the
adjectives that were used the most to describe me
were all adjectives I used to describe myself. The
other major trend that stood out was that very few
respondents chose adjectives that I did not choose
and for the majority of the additional adjectives used
they were only used by 1-2 respondents rather than
the majority. This data shows that I am very good at
viewing myself from others perspectives and
understanding how others view me, while also
providing insight into the characteristics I can’t see
from my perspective so I can improve to continue to
help myself succeed in professional environments.

Feedback And Implementation

The feedback received from teammates and survey respondents throughout the semester
has been instrumental in shaping my understanding of how others perceive my professional
behavior, particularly highlighting my strengths and areas for improvement. While I have
been commended for exceeding expectations in various aspects, a consistent suggestion
emerged focusing on enhancing my presentation skills to appear more natural and
assertive. To address this, I plan to practice presentations in front of friends, moving
beyond rehearsing alone. This strategy aims to replicate the experience of presenting to an
audience, thereby boosting my confidence and assertiveness in voice and body language,
ensuring that my professional persona is conveyed as intended during presentations.

Takeaway

Throughout this exercise, I've learned a lot about how I see myself versus how others see
me. It's been an eye-opener, showing me that there's sometimes a gap between what I think
I'm projecting and what others actually pick up on. This realization is really valuable,
especially when it comes to improving myself both personally and professionally. I'm now
more eager to take on board the feedback I get, especially around public speaking and
taking charge in group settings. I want to make sure that the confidence and leadership I
feel inside are clearly seen by those around me, closing that gap between my self-view and
others' perceptions.