Managers must be sensitive to what others think of them. The leader and the manager are strong individuals who cannot afford emotional imbalance due to external influences.
Worrying about what others think of us is completely normal. Scientists have found, for example, that people’s brain centers for self-reward are activated when they learn that someone likes their taste in music.
The opinion of others is a good thing, but it becomes a problem when one is consumed by worries about one’s reputation. For example, having decided what to wear, who to hang out with, and what career to pursue; when he fears he will look foolish.
Unfortunately, the habit of worrying about how we look in the eyes of others is hard to break. This is about a certain amount of automaticity. In this regard, the American site Quora posed to its users a question “How can I stop worrying about what others think?”. The responses outline different and effective techniques, tried and proven, that users share. They can be useful to anyone who doesn’t want to worry so much about what others think of them but has a hard time stopping them.
Tips for managers and leaders on dealing with the opinions of others
Remember that people are not that interested in you. In general, they are not as intrigued by who we are and what we do as it seems to us. American psychologists call the tendency to overestimate how much others pay attention to us the “spotlight effect”.
Tell yourself a different story. No one can make you feel a certain way – it all comes down to how we interpret events and the behavior of others. If you fall and people laugh, try to tell yourself that you were able to cheer them up instead of worrying that they are making fun of you and creating negative thoughts about it.
Know that it’s normal to care what others think of you. The key is not to let this anxiety take over and overwhelm you.
Try to make others feel more comfortable. We’re all pretty bad at putting ourselves in other people’s shoes – we don’t know what their inner battle is, what the person in front of us is struggling with, and how they live. And his actions and reactions to us, while they may seem personal, can often be caused by other factors that have nothing to do with ourselves and are in someone else’s life.
Focus on controlling your thoughts, not those of others. Mentally strong people focus their thoughts on what they can control, not on what they cannot, which includes interpreting the events and reality of others. Once you change your focus, you’ll find that you immediately feel happier and less stressed.
Don’t try to please everyone. People will always judge you no matter what. It is foolish to try to please everyone.
Meet more people. Each person has a different, unique opinion. Someone may not like you, but another may find you outstanding, talented, and a perfect friend.
