They are right when they say… “You don’t see the world as it is, you see it the way you are!”
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The other day, I was invited to talk at IIM Indore on a topic that brought communication in connection to psychology and emotions. A gracious lady, a thorough gentleman and an enterprising girl got together to bestow that opportunity to me. After the session, one of many bright minds over there asked me “So, what is the factor that intervenes most strongly in my relating with others”? My answer was “Your perception of who you are”. Well! Normally, that answer should have left me as I left the campus. However, as I drove back, the memory that taught me that answer came to my mind in all its vividness…
In school, I used to like a girl who was way out of my league. I mean, she was very pretty and I was just a skinny geeky guy. So, it would be unfair to even say that the story ended there, because nothing ever really began…
As we all ended our schooling, after some years, our paths crossed again. And as we met a couple of times, I was shocked to know that ‘it was the other way round’. In school, she suffered from low self-esteem and actually thought pretty high of me. In fact, it turned out that she actually ‘liked’ me.
Well! That episode taught me a lot. I learnt that the ‘way people see you’ depends less on ‘who you are’ and more on ‘how they see themselves’, which is different from ‘how you see them’, because that itself depends more on ‘how you see yourself’.
Well! In other (and lesser) words, eventually, two most important things to be aware-of in life are “how you see yourself” and “how people see themselves”.
Since then, I have always tried to remain sorted about ‘how I see myself’ and observant about ‘how people see themselves’. And what better!! This trait made me pretty good at my job – training. As it is a lot about helping people with their ‘self-image’ and ‘identity’.
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Wow! They are also right when they say… “It all adds up”! 🙂
About Sandeep Atre
Dr. Sandeep Atre:
• Counseling Psychologist and an internationally recognized ‘Emotional & Social Intelligence’ Expert, with experience of more than two decades in helping people ‘sort out’ and ‘excel in’ intrapersonal and interpersonal matters. He holds a PhD in Management and a Master’s degree in Psychology (www.dratrecounsels.com).
• Founder of Socialigence – a venture specializing in development of ‘Social & Emotional Intelligence’ and its offshoot interpersonal skills through workshops and an award-winning online course rooted in neuroscience and psychology (www.socialigence.net).
• Author of two books related to his domain, namely - “Understanding Emotions Logically” and “Observing Nonverbal Behavior”; and third book on various aspects of life, named “Two Paras of Everyday Wisdom”. Moreover, the collection of his Nazms and Ghazals is published as a book titled “Baat Jazbaat Ki”.
• Corporate Trainer, with experience of close to two decades. Has conducted 150+ workshops/sessions for 50+ organizations & institutions like CSC, Cummins, Piramal, Ranbaxy, Lupin, Bridgestone, Michelin, Eicher, Maruti, Force, Idea, Airtel, NBHC, SBI, HDFC, L&T, Zydus, Thapar University, Banasthali, Narsee Monjee, Symbiosis, IIFM Bhopal, Azim Premji University, Nirma, Welingkar & IBS Hyderabad.
• Co-Founder and Director of CH EdgeMakers – a leading ‘Coaching and Training’ organization of central India for more than 24 years. He has trained close to 100 thousand students for ‘Soft Skills’ & ‘Entrance & Recruitment Preparation’ (www.ch-india.com).
• ‘Management Speaker and Orator’. Has featured at platforms like TEDx, IIM, IIT, NIT, CII, YI, CII-IWN, TCS, IMA, ICAI, ECA, ISHRAE, NEN, Sahodaya, Aditya Birla Education Academy, Round Table, LinkedIn Local, Rotary International, MP State’s Teachers’ Training, Academic Staff College DAVV, Police University Rajasthan, Police Training Academy Indore & more than 100 institutions.
• Member of noted associations and boards. Has been an ‘Executive Committee’ member of Indore Management Association. Associate Editor of IMA publications. Governing Council Member of Banasthali University’s SBBJ Centre for Research in MSME & Promotion of Entrepreneurship in Women. Executive Member of IMS, DAVV Alumni Association. Member of Rotary International’s ‘Group Study Exchange’ team to Minnesota, USA. ESI Coach with FWSA Australia.
Note: For glimpses of work, watch YouTube Channel ‘Dr. Sandeep Atre at Socialigence’.
