Perception is 90% reality. Perception may be 100% reality.  And if you want exciting projects and challenges, promotions and better pay, you NEED to manage how you are perceived.  People will believe you are invaluable and irreplaceable only if you convince them that is true.  You have all this power at your fingertips.  

Yet so few people realize this.  Most people think this immense power is out of their control.  And - even more importantly - they don't know how to harness it.  But it is a very important power within your grasps.  And this power, once realized, will propel your career forward.

Think about how you form impressions of other people.  Generally, people create a PERCEPTION of someone in just a few short minutes.  And in that time, people look for warmth and competence. Warmth equates to trust and competence means performance.  In other words, you need to be trustworthy and consistently deliver top notch work.

Easier said than done, right?  Not quite, but you can do it.  As Warren Buffet shared: “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.“

Think about all the negative perception that can exist:

Changing negative perception is harder than maintaining positive perception, but it can be done.  

There are many ways to address negative perception.  For example, seek additional responsibilities, accept criticism, watch your body language, plan ahead, organize your work, consistently deliver exceptional work, be dependable, demonstrate integrity and be approachable. 

In fact, many of these things which seem obvious are the basics for establishing a solid reputation.

1. Network

Networking does not just apply when looking for a job.  You should constantly be networking in your career,  Always be on the lookout for new relationships that you can foster.  And look BROADLY.  Develop solid working relationships with people OUTSIDE of your area or department.  Solidify as many advocates and allies as you can in your office, with your clients/customers and everywhere.

Why?  First, it's a small world.  A really really small world.  You never know when your name will pop up in conversation.  Second, many conversations about your career occur WITHOUT you present.  So you want as many people on your side as possible.  Create a solid - vast - foundation of advocates to support and promote  you.

2.  Toot Your OWN Horn

Men, admittedly, are better at confirming other people are aware of their accomplishments than women.  But women can do this too.  And everyone SHOULD be doing this - the right away.  What is the right away to tout your accomplishments?  By providing context and sharing it as a story.  Explain the background, you role and the result of your impact.  Tone matters immensely - don't SOUND boastful.  You can actually share your results in a humble, unassuming way.  There is a big difference between saying "I just single-handedly convinced the client to accept our proposal and because of me, we won a $20 million contract."  Alternatively, "Because of the exceptional groundwork, research and preparation done by the research and development team, I was able to combine that with my long-standing relationship to help us win a $20 million contract."

If someone goes out of their way to acknowledge your performance, how does that make you feel?  And how do you now view that person - are you more likely to trust them?  Has your relationship gotten stronger?  Of course!  You are now more likely to do more, go out on a limb, and deliver for that person.  So make sure you acknowledge the performance of people around you - share the credit.  This small thing will pay you back in spades.

In the example mentioned in number 2, credit is vaguely given to other departments within a company.  Take this further by mentioning specific people or specific incidences that contributed to the successes.

Do you know who you are and what you stand for?  If you know this then other people will too.  You need to present yourself in a way that engages others so they are interested in pursuing you. Establish yourself as someone who  delivers – always. Show you are critical to the team.  Do what you say and say what you do.  Say what you mean and mean what you say.  

Another way of building relationships and establishing your convictions, is to polish your skills of persuasion.  When you speak - especially in sensitive situations, explain your intent first.  Frame your answers and responses positively.  Share your intent before you share your desires.  Provide context.  This will take down other people's guards and make sure they are more likely to listen and accept your answer.

Managing how you are perceived is one of the most powerful tools you can employ to propel your career forward.  Be purposeful.  Be proactive.  And actively manage your reputation to get the jobs, promotions, career and pay that you want.