Teri Burgos-Gutierrez, Corporate Trainer

Teri, a wife to a dentist, and mother to 3 adolescent sons, trains professionals and writes textbooks in Speech. She can be reached at gutierrez_teri@yahoo.com

GETTING TO KNOW MYSELF
By Teri Burgos-Gutierrez

“We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done.”
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Self-concept refers to the perception you have of yourself in regard to your physical appearance, intelligence, personality, strengths, and weaknesses. It is the image or picture you have of yourself. This self-perception has also been influenced by the way you think others see you. You develop an image of yourself not only by how you view your own behavior, attitudes, values, and beliefs, but also because of the way others have reacted to you both verbally and nonverbally.

Introducing the self at the workplace

Self-concept has a great deal to do with your ability to communicate at work. The better your self-concept, the more likely you will be able to communicate positively and confidently. The ideal self is the kind of person you would most like to be. This refers to the kind of qualities or characteristics you would like to possess, qualities that would make you a more substantive person. Certainly, improving your ability to relate with others in a more open-minded, positive, and empathic manner will go a long way toward improving your self-image. How we communicate and how we behave depend a great deal on what we think of ourselves. One’s self-concept represents a collection of perception about every aspect of one’s being that includes one’s physical and mental capabilities, potentials, and communication skills. Self-concept is formed through what one observes and experiences and through what others tell.

Are you shy?  

If you consider yourself shy, practice the following activities. Use your communication skills to make simple opening remarks. Keep a daily record of your accomplishments. Record what you have observed, how you felt about it, and how the other person reacted. The activities below are listed in random order, not according to their difficulty. Read them over and rank them in the order of subjective difficulty you would experience doing them. Discard any activity that can’t be done in your own workplace.

• Introduce yourself to a new person in your office.
• Invite someone who is going your way to walk with you.
• Go to the office pantry. Smile and nod at the first three people who look at you. Strike up a conversation with at least one from your department.
• Stand in a line at the office cafeteria. Strike up a conversation about the line with whoever is near you.
• Converse with the maintenance staff. Ask how they are. This will make them feel good.
• As you enter the office elevator, converse with two or three occupants you come close to.
• Notice someone who needs help at work. Offer to help.
• Organize and throw a small gathering in the office (about 4-6 people). Invite at least one person you don’t know very well.
• Invite someone to have coffee with you – someone you have not been with before.
• Say “Hi” to five new people today, whom you would not usually greet. Try to provoke a smile and a return “Hi” from them.

Notice the difference it will surely make on you. You will feel good about yourself; your confidence and self-esteem will soar up to the highest level! As Dr. Joyce Brothers aptly puts it, “An individual's self-concept is the core of his personality. It affects every aspect of human behavior: the ability to learn, the capacity to grow and change. A strong, positive self-image is the best possible preparation for success in life.”