Perception management is a strategy used to alter another party’s perception of events to gain an advantage. It can involve presenting verifiable information in a certain way or selectively using data. The ethics of this strategy are debated, but it remains a popular tool in various industries.
Perception management is a type of strategy that aims to guide another party’s motives, emotions, and conclusions by using different approaches to alter that party’s perception of past events and projections of future events. This particular type of strategy has been used in military operations in an attempt to gain advantages over enemies and has also found use in business among competitors. The goal is to alter the opposing side’s perception in a way that gives the manager an advantage that can be used successfully to score a victory or otherwise defeat that opposing side.
There is some difference of opinion as to whether the task of perception management should remain firmly rooted in the use of verifiable information that is presented in a way that can trigger the desired outcome, or whether the strategy allows for the selective use of certain facts while ignoring others or even leaving room for the inclusion of data that is questionable. For those who focus only on using verifiable data, the task is to evaluate all available information, then determine how best to present those facts in a way that makes the recipients react in a certain way. Sometimes referred to as spinning, the focus here is not on trying to mislead per se, but instead on calling more attention to some information while downplaying the importance of others. If successful, this approach has the advantage of having provided all the information, albeit in a format that skewed the viewpoint strongly in a specific direction.
At other times, the perception management process includes selective use of available data. In this scenario, some facts are presented in a complete and concise manner, while others are only partially presented and excluded altogether. This makes it easier to create a particular perception that can be sold to consumers, citizens of a particular country, or a rival of some sort, assuming the opposing party is unaware of and does not discover the omissions.
The ethics of perception management is also a moot point. Proponents of strategy in any of its forms note that this type of tool can be used to accomplish a greater good that may not be possible if a perception other than the desired one prevails. Opponents of perception management prefer that all relevant data be presented without prejudice in terms of prioritization or value to any portion of the data, allowing the parties involved to engage in prioritization as they see fit. As this tool is effective in corporate competition, reaching consumers, and even in the political arena, perception management is likely to remain a viable strategy across many industries.
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