The ethics of Impression management

Wanting to create a favourable impression is a basic part of human nature. Once someone forms an opinion of you, it can be very difficult to change and, whilst we can’t control people’s opinions, there are ways in which we can present ourselves which are more likely to get a positive opinion.

Impression management involves consciously or unconsciously controlling the way others see or perceive us so we can manage what we say about ourselves and make the best possible impression. It’s something we all do to a greater or lesser degree but whether it’s ethical or not depends on the context, intent and means we use to manage our impression to help us achieve professional and personal goals.

If impression management is to be both effective and ethical, it's important to strike a balance between projecting a positive image and remaining true to our core values and principles. Authenticity is key and while it's essential to create a positive professional image, it should be based on our true skills, abilities, and values. Being seen as overly inauthentic can lead to issues around trust and our credibility.

One of the most obvious ways impression management is used is during a job interview. Candidates and interviewers both feel the need to appear ‘authentically perfect’, pleasant, competent but not so perfect as to be disingenuous. Whilst some self-promotion can help candidates and potential employers leave a positive impression, interviews are not the time to make false claims – a lack of skills, competencies or difficult working conditions will be found out pretty quickly so, as well as being unethical, it can be a lot more damaging to your reputation in the longer-term.

Another way of using impression management in the work environment is in how we build relationships with our colleagues. People often have a work ‘persona’, which might involve behaviour, appearance and interests that they think their managers and colleagues want them to have. This isn’t unusual and isn’t really a problem as long as people don’t try to own ideas or achievements that aren’t theirs or manipulate situations to their own benefit. If they do they generally get caught out - think of the numerous influencers who've tried - and again it’s not only unethical and reputation damaging but a very quick way to divide teams.

Impression management is only effective and ethical if it’s based on transparency and honesty. It becomes unethical the minute it involves deception or manipulation. Whether its appropriate depends on the context in which its used. Used correctly, it can help in the success of your career and in building strong relationships with colleagues and managers. Ultimately, authenticity is the key, and impression management a tool to help us achieve our goals rather than something that compromises our identity.