Why Leaders Should Know About the Phenomenon of Projection
Projecting is a phenomenon where we take our own thoughts, and, just like a projector machine, superimpose them onto another surface. With psychological projection, that surface is primarily another human or institution.
Why leaders need to know about projection:
As a people leader, you are going to deal with other peoples’ baggage, not to mention your own. It is essential for you to discern what may be projection and what may be true in various situations. (The tricky part is that sometimes, our projections are also true!)
As a leader, if you are aware of the phenomenon of projection, it is more likely that you will:
Be able to “stay above the fray” in many people problems
See the forest through the trees and be a source of constructive resolution
Be a more mature, emotionally stable leader
I had a coaching client the other day who brought the topic of a direct report who didn’t respect them. We talked about projection and the importance of checking if this leader was the one who actually didn’t respect their colleague. (Was projection obfuscating the situation?)
In order to discern whether projection is at play and what to do about it, consider the following steps.
Step 1: Simply ask yourself if you could be projecting. If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, there’s a good chance projection is at play.
Does this thought carry an emotional charge for me?
Would someone else who witnessed this behavior say the same thing?
Is this a patterned thought that I have had about other people in other situations?
Step 2: If you are projecting, separate what you can own for yourself and what might still be the reality of the situation.
Remember how I mentioned that projections can sometimes be true? With my client not feeling repsected, we had to try to discern if their colleague actually didn’t respect them, or if my client was triggered by a behavior that was not a referendum on them. Being triggered is a bit harder to admit, but the the solution path is much easier.
Step 3: Reclaim your triggers.
What I mean by this is to own the qualities you’ve identified were being projected. This is not easy work. Contemplate and work with the qualities however you normally process and grow, be it with a coach, your journal, a friend, etc. (read more about feelings at work). Give that some time, if possible, before interfacing with the person who had received your projection. When you do interface with the person, check that your feeling tone about the person has returned to neutral. If not, there might be more personal work to do.
While projection is a phenomenon, remember that it is a natural phenomenon. The goal, at least at first, isn’t to stop projecting. It’s to become conscious of the possibility that projection could be at play in your thoughts about other people. A quick and easy litmus test is described in my sketch, above. Does the person’s behavior affect you, or inform you? If it affects you (emotionally) then there is something there for you. That’s good news!
