G.G. Pocheptsov, before starting to consider the types of images, draws attention to the fact that the image is the most effective presentation of a message, which is able to bypass the various filters that each person has. From here he gets the idea of ​​an image as a person’s public or external “I”, which quite often may differ from his internal “I”. Therefore, it makes sense to talk about external and internal factors of personal image that form self-image, perceived image and required image. This typology involves looking at the image from different positions: from the side of one’s “I” and from the side of others, from the side of the real and from the side of the desired.

Self-image is based on past experience and reflects the current state of self-esteem and self-esteem. Everyone knows the rule: if you want to be respected, you must first learn to respect yourself. For this, for example, as advised famous poet S. Marshak, selflessly do something very difficult, for example, learn the ancient Greek language. Let's remember how important self-image is in adolescence when a person suddenly begins to closely examine himself in the mirror, finding certain features that do not please him. By the way, psychotherapy often works at this level of restoring self-confidence.

Self-image is subject to all kinds of influence, and, above all, from the parents of the subject-prototype of the image. The child is largely shaped by his parents, providing him with a certain view of himself. If a person was not sufficiently encouraged by his parents and educators in childhood, he may develop a tendency toward excessive self-criticism. Such a person will establish for himself and for others too high standards behavior, and be upset by the inability to achieve them.

An important factor influencing the formation of a person’s self-image is life experience. Many people, having just once experienced the unpleasant experience of speaking in front of an audience, consider themselves completely unfit for public speaking. Disapproving remarks from others only strengthen them in this opinion. If, day after day, a person learns from his own experience and from the reactions of others that he is not valued, then self-esteem may be too difficult for him. This can only be counterbalanced by a sufficient supply of self-esteem and awareness of one’s achievements. If self-esteem is too low, improving the “external” image will only have a limited effect. Self-esteem can be improved by working on your overall image. For example, if a person learns to overcome nervousness when speaking in public, others will notice his confidence and begin to react accordingly. The audience will be eagerly waiting to see what he has to say next. If a person cares about his appearance, others conclude that he respects and values ​​himself as an individual, and therefore is able to value others.

Perceived image- this is how others see us. It is likely that this view may differ from the previous one. We don’t always know how others really treat us, what, for example, clients think about a psychologist, how they speak about him.

Required image. As a rule, a particular profession requires certain image characteristics. Sometimes the type of clothing you wear helps. For example, a military uniform, a judicial robe, a sports uniform distinguish its wearers from those around them with a certain status, authority, significance, etc.

The concept and role of image in the field of public relations. Levels and types of image. Basic structural models.

Personal image: main characteristics (unverifiability, emotionality, harmony, controllability, ideality, integrity, stereotypicality, realism, humanism, variability). Component characteristics: biological, communicative, social, mythological, professional, contextual, creed. Features of personal image in government bodies. Self-image.

Corporate image: components and laws of functioning. Attributes, distinctive features, overall characteristics, mission, slogan, corporate philosophy, corporate style. External and internal corporate image.

Features of image structures in the activities of government bodies: specificity, stereotypes, direction of communications, characteristics of distribution channels, nature of the target audience. Reputation, image, social role and image - interdependence and differences.

Basic technologies and problems of image formation. Tasks of image correction and modification: positioning, image enhancement, image reduction, image adjustment, advertising and anti-advertising. Corporate style as the most important means of image formation.

One of the aspects of perception and evaluation of an organization is the impression it makes, its image (image). Here are some definitions that can give an idea of ​​the subject of the topic:

Image- is an artificial imitation or presentation of the external form of an object and, especially, a person ( Dictionary Webster). Image is mental image about a person, product or institution that is purposefully formed in the mass consciousness with the help of publicity, advertising or propaganda.

Image is the impression made by a person, company or institution on one or more groups of the public. It is not a drawing, not a tracing paper, not a detailed, precise representation, but rather a few details that have an emotional impact. (Korolko)

The concept of reputation is very close to the concept of image. It is not always easy to determine where we are dealing with reputation and where we are talking about image. The purpose of the image is to create and maintain the necessary impression of the company, product, personality among clients and other target audiences. Image is an appearance, a facade, a “sign”. This is business seen through the eyes of the client. Image is the impression that people remember when they think of you. The key definition that can be used in conjunction with the image is image.

One of the definitions of the concept " reputation" means this concept is a set of opinions about the advantages and disadvantages of a company. This is a business seen through the eyes of colleagues who are difficult to deceive or mislead. Hence, the reputation of a company may not correspond to its image. Image is an image created for the public, and reputation is born among professionals. Image and reputation relate to each other as form and content.

The tasks of image and reputation are similar. They consist of helping a company successfully sell products or services, attract reliable partners, provide protection from competitors, facilitate the introduction of new products or services to the market, etc. The buyer is willing to pay more for products from companies with a strong reputation (or a well-developed image), although it is possible to buy the same high-quality product cheaper from a lesser-known company - this is already the rule.

In Western companies, the concept of “image” is currently used less frequently. What becomes more important is what campaigns actually do, rather than what and how they say about themselves. The term “reputation” has become one of the most important in the vocabulary of PR specialists. Professionals often replace it with the marketing concept of “branding.”

Banks and insurance companies are primarily concerned with reputation, and manufacturers are somewhat insufficiently concerned. There is another problem: managers want to manage their reputation, but do not know how to do it.

The mechanism of reputation formation is quite complex and not well studied. It is known that efforts to build image and reputation constantly intersect. There are observations that the success of a company in the market is largely determined by image-creating activities (external attributes, image advertising, promotions, etc.), and participation in the professional community is work on reputation.

What are the main components in the process of reputation formation that need to be taken into account:

Attitude towards clients (relationships with clients);

Company policy (ethical standards and rules);

Positioning of the company in the market (external attributes, participation in professional communities);

Psychological climate in the team (presence of trust, satisfaction and degree of participation in the affairs of the company):

Experience in the market (history of the company and its business experience);

Financial stability, size and dynamics of the company’s development;

Participation in socially significant events (charity, sponsorship);

Intellectual and scientific potential.

Understand a large number psychological theories and image building techniques are difficult for non-professionals. The task of PR-men is to use the help of psychologists in order to make the right choice. IN Everyday life people often behave formulaic, in accordance with established stereotypes. The latter help to quickly navigate those life circumstances that do not require special mental analytical efforts. The image theory is based on several concepts from general theoretical psychology - such as stereotype, attitudes, mass consciousness, etc.

Social stereotypes represent the basic mental material on which to build mass consciousness. Thinking can be represented as simple reactions to external stimuli, the role of which is played by stereotypes– persistent, emotionally charged, simplified models of objective reality that evoke in a person a feeling of sympathy or antipathy for a phenomenon. Stereotyping the thinking process is associated with an attitude formed in the process of people’s previous practice. Under installation imply a readiness to perceive a phenomenon or object in a certain way, in a certain light, based on previous experience of perception.

A stereotype combines two interacting principles - knowledge And attitude. For social stereotype Attitude is of primary importance - emotionally charged evaluative education. At the same time, it is important what content is hidden behind the stereotype. If the features of real phenomena are insignificant and superficial, then the created stereotype ( image) is far from life.

And vice versa, if the connections and features of real phenomena captured by the stereotype are significant and decisive, then it approaches the true. This stereotype develops slowly and is formed with the participation of the apparatus logical thinking, based on real experience. A true stereotype serves as a solid foundation for a person’s conscious attitude towards various kinds of phenomena and processes.

Public relations specialists approach the analysis of image components pragmatically, guided by the needs of their profession. This is necessary to create images, shape them, and then advertise them.

The concept of image is considered by corporations primarily from the point of view of how it is perceived by people in a social sense, as an influential entity in society, and not just as an organization that produces goods and services. A corporation needs an image so that people understand and appreciate its role in the economic, political and social life a specific area or the country as a whole.

It must be admitted that the image of modern domestic entrepreneurs evokes mainly negative associations among the population. But our country is no exception to this. American researcher S. Cutlip reports that in the 60-70s. in the US, about 60% of Americans demonstrated low level respect for business. The reason for this is that half of the information about business in the media was associated with the illegal activities of its representatives, and two-thirds of business leaders in television entertainment programs were portrayed as greedy, limited people who conduct their business through criminal means.

By creating the image of a corporation, PR people strive to root the idea of ​​social responsibility and the importance of business in the mass consciousness, to instill in people a sense of, if not ownership, then at least a sense of belonging to big business in the sense of realizing its necessity in the life of every person.

The image of a corporation is needed in order to influence people's feelings. The image of an organization means its generalized portrait, which will be created in the minds of the most different groups the public based on what it claims and, especially, what it does.

The corporate image must include four components:

─ product image;

─ managerial and financial image;

─ public image;

─ the image of the corporation as an employer.

From point of view management approach The corporate image should be built on three foundations:

1. The corporation must be presented as a certain “person”. In this case, it is very important external signs – modernity of premises, equipment, style of communication within the corporation, etc.

2. The corporation needs to have its own “ reputation”, show what she is already known for.

3. The corporation needs to show its “ character”(essence) of what her business actually is. Advertising of its own nature should not be created by the corporation itself, but mainly by the “third party.”

It is very important to ensure that the entire framework of the corporation’s image is built simultaneously, coordinated and in strict interaction of all its components.

General features of image, which actually develop in practice. (D. Burstin):

─ the image must be planned comprehensively to create a certain impression using a brand name, brand name and product type;

─ the “image of the corporation” should be believable, reliable. The image must be identified with a specific corporation or person. The best way to credibility - restrained statements, some understatements, silences;

─ he must be passive. At first, the image is a semblance of a corporation, and then the corporation becomes a semblance of an image. The organization creating the image strives to become more like the image than to make the image its own likeness. Consumers (potential clients) must also live up to the image. All these relationships are essentially passive;

─ the image should be bright and specific. It works better if, appealing to feelings, it is quickly perceived when it clearly highlights the characteristic features of the corporation;

─ the image of the corporation should be simplified. To avoid unwanted effects, it must be simpler than the object it represents. The most effective image is simple and quickly memorable;

─ despite the concreteness, the image must be somewhat vague and hover somewhere between feelings and reason, between expectations and reality.

The image can be proclaimed, expected and real. The image must acquire its own existence, become a separate value and be used at every opportunity.

A serious influence on the perception of an organization's image by external public groups is exerted by its own employees. There is a problem here - differences of opinion among employees of the organization at different levels of the staffing table: managers and subordinates, administrative and production personnel, engineers and workers, etc. The way these different people interact, forms of communication between them, methods, with through which management finds mutual language with subordinates, form an appropriate atmosphere that influences the behavior of employees in relationships with each other and people outside the organization. All of these together influence how the organization is perceived.

Internal organizational public groups are very sensitive to how the organization is presented to the external public. Employees are perceived by others as authorities when it comes to organizational issues. In such cases, people are interested in the opinion of the company’s employees; they trust them simply because they work there, which means must know everything.

Taking into account this fact, members of the organization need to be trained accordingly, and their sense of involvement in the affairs of the organization must be strengthened.

The attitude of employees accurately reflects the image of the organization. Thus, employees who are indifferent to her ideal may continue to work for the sake of earning money, but they will never take a single step on their own initiative. In order for employees to respond appropriately to the image of the organization, it is necessary for them define, distribute And make clear.

To do this, a number of methods are proposed to determine the measure of compliance or non-compliance with the declared, expected and real image of the organization. G. Levinson (USA) recommends consistently finding out:

What an organization does based on its assessment of the products it produces, the services it offers, and the way it treats its employees (as “goods to be bought and used” or as “capable and mature people”).

What does the organization say in the process of communication with employees (“does it persuade them, convinces them” or “involves them in resolving common problems”) and clients (“does it confuse them by promising more than it can deliver” or “deceives them with attractive packaging").

What kind of organization do people want to see?

G. Levinson argues that the perception of any organization is a mixture of what it does and what people think it should be. If these two things coincide, then the image of the organization is harmonious.

The most reliable way to find out what exactly different groups of the intra-organizational public think about the organization is scientific (sociological) research. An easier way is to ask a few informal questions:

1. If an organization has an image, does it act in accordance with it?

2. If an organization has an image, can its employees act in accordance with it? Or do low wages and other factors make this impossible?

3. If it is necessary to change the image, are employees involved in this by participating in the management of the organization?

4. If a company does not have a clear image, does this cause you concern, limited identification and inconsistency of assessments?

The specific image of the organization must constantly change and be clarified, especially with the development of economic, technological, social and demographic processes. Every organization is required to review its image under the following circumstances:

─ When the perception of the company does not correspond to the real state of things.

─ When a new competitor, its qualitatively new products, a change in the “rules of the game” or a new image of a competitor, require the company to clarify the directions of countering the current situation.

─ When a competitor is slow to make a clearly defined and effective presentation of their new products (opportunity to get ahead of them).

Advertising the image of the organization must be continuous. If image promotion is weakened, a company can very quickly experience the loss of public goodwill and a shrinking market.

Traditional public relations (or non-product) advertising continues to be widely used today. Such image advertising is distributed by organizations mainly in the following cases:

1. Merger or separation.

2. Personnel changes. Show that the organization values ​​​​its personnel and is proud of them, which helps to unite the employees of the organization itself around such an image.

3. Reporting Organizational Resources indicate her serious intentions, and this is already a value that should be advertised.

4. Information about production facilities and services. An organization's ability to provide timely delivery of quality products is highly valued by customers. The reliability of an organization is a feature that strengthens its image.

5. Communicating Growth History. People want to do business with a growing, strengthening company, they want to work for it.

6. Emphasis on financial strength and stability. Image advertising that emphasizes a strong financial position builds trust and attracts customers and investors to the organization.

7. Communication about the company's plans.

8. Changing the name of the organization. With constant repetition, people will learn about the new name and new image of the company.

9. Brand protection.

10. Emergencies.

It must be clear. If the content of an advertising message and its motives are confusing, people simply will not understand it, no matter how well conceived and executed.

She must convince.

She must appeal to convictions. All advertising, and especially PR advertising, should focus on what the public wants rather than focusing on what the organization needs.

She must be honest. If an organization wants to be believed, advertising must be frank and sincere, devoid of any attempts to mislead people.

It must contain humor. Humor disarms a skeptical audience; by causing a slight smile, it is easier to persuade the public to a certain point of view.

The narrowest interpretation of personal image is to be well dressed. Personal image should take into account social and material status, the country, the area in which you live, the characteristics of the organization where you work and many other components of the huge context in which each of us has his own special place. So that the image is not too sketchy and stereotyped, it is necessary to add to these components a well-trained voice, the ability to behave, speak in front of the public and conduct a dialogue .

In forming a product image it is important:

1. Find out how the product is perceived by the population.

2. Develop separate information programs to change the image in the right direction for different target groups.

In creating the image of a corporation, it is worth following a certain sequence of actions:

1. Definition of corporate philosophy.

Corporate Philosophy – a complete, detailed, detailed statement of moral, ethical and business norms, principles, credos that guide the company’s employees or project participants. Corporate philosophy does not pursue advertising goals, but performs the function of an internal organizing principle, formalized by a kind of social contract, voluntarily concluded by the people involved in it. It also plays the role of a litmus test, an indicator that allows you to check the accuracy of all the company's messages.

2. Compiling a history-legend.

Story gives solidity, thoroughness, reliability; contributes to the verbal and then internal tangibility of a company or project, makes them more understandable, and facilitates dialogue between the company and consumers. If there is no story, you need to come up with a legend . Its main criterion is credibility. Legend– this is not necessarily fiction, it can represent things presented in a certain way real events. A legendary story may not be associated with the company itself, but with its founder or one of the managers.

3. visual image of the company.

To stimulate and consolidate a favorable attitude towards a company, it is very useful to give it a visual image, for example, a home. Having a “home” is an indirect guarantee of the stability and reliability of a company or project. The concept of “house” is not necessarily a building; it can be expanded to the scale of a city, country, or planet.

4. Image of employees.

The company's personnel or other people involved in the project are the main subjects-builders and image bearers, so it is important how they look, communicate with each other and with clients, and appear on television. The section devoted to the image of personnel should take into account: the structure of intra-company communications, the training system, the principles of relationships between superiors and subordinates, the career ladder, general holidays, etc. The main goal is to ensure that everyone feels that they belong to the unified world of the company and are supporters of its ideas and values. It is also important that the inhabitants of the corporate world speak the same language with their target groups.

To solve these problems, they are developing corporate codes. Their main provisions:

1. Priority of internal communications over external ones.

2. Consistency and regularity of communications, conveying both good and bad news.

3. Sincerity of communications.

4. Clarity.

5. Friendly tone.

6. A sense of humor that helps defuse a serious work environment.

7. Innovation.

You can add an image to the real people serving in the campaign fictional heroes, who will also “work” for the image of the organization. Examples - a cowboy from Marlboro Country, a housewife Aunt Asya make a company, project, product more alive and understandable.

5. The world around us, the development of relations with society. Friends and foes.

The main task of the creators of the corporate image is to continuously and significantly expand the number of friends and increase the scale of the corporate “house”. To do this, it is necessary to carry out numerous image campaigns outside of it, which, on the one hand, would be consistent with the principles of the company, and on the other, would increase the number of supporters of these principles.

In conclusion: it is important that words, signs, symbols are firmly tied to the concept of the corporate world, and do not exist separately from each other, obeying the imagination of their creators, then it is possible to achieve success in building an image even with the help of a limited number of formal techniques.

1. Self-image. Factors influencing image formation

The image a person presents to the world around him is often perceived by other people as a reflection of his level of self-esteem. Showing interest in self-improvement, expressed in the desire to gain a clear understanding of one’s own psychology or the desire to correct one’s self-presentation, shows that a person has reached a certain level of self-esteem, has matured as a person and has the potential for growth and improvement.

The ability to present oneself includes the ability to appreciate one’s own positive sides and understand where the weak points are. What a particular person may perceive as a disadvantage is not necessarily so for others. For example, if two shy people meet, their shyness helps them to like each other. A person may be overweight and self-conscious about his size. But fat man A person who takes his insecurities for granted, is healthy and cheerful, dresses with taste and realizes that he loves to communicate, can have a completely attractive image.

Many people, having just once experienced the unpleasant experience of speaking in front of an audience, consider themselves completely unfit for public speaking. Disapproving remarks from others only strengthen them in this opinion. If, day after day, a person learns from his own experience and from the reactions of others that he is not valued, then self-esteem may be too difficult for him. This can only be counterbalanced by a sufficient supply of self-esteem and awareness of one’s achievements.

If self-esteem is too low, improving the “external” image will only have a limited effect.

Self-esteem can be improved by working on your overall image. For example, if a person learns to overcome nervousness when speaking in public, others will notice his confidence and begin to react accordingly. The audience will be eagerly waiting to see what he has to say next. If a person cares about his appearance, others conclude that he respects and values ​​himself as an individual, and therefore is able to value others.

At the heart of people's assessment of the appearance, statements and behavior of other people are two basic needs - identification and expression of individuality. People need belonging and identification with others like them, and at the same time, they feel the need to assert their individuality. All people have both of these needs. They have a decisive influence on a person’s desire to present himself and his interaction with others.

A person can express involvement and identification with other people in the following ways:

Appearance. Clothing can signal that a person seeks to merge with a certain group of people, that he is a member of a clan;

Posture and body language. Representatives of the same social group have similar manners;

The manner of speaking. It is human nature to imitate in this respect representatives of those who are attractive to him. social groups;

Tongue. Many social groups have their own slang, incomprehensible to representatives of other groups;

Accessories. Membership of a certain social group may be indicated by a mobile phone, a tie of a certain style, a watch, etc.;

Your surroundings. The latest home or office interior design may indicate that the owner counts himself among a select group of fashion leaders.

Individuality can be expressed using the same means, but using them slightly differently:

Appearance. Provocative clothing and an unusual haircut set a person apart from others, especially if at work he is engaged in some kind of traditional business;

Posture and body language. In a situation where a person is at odds with others, his body language (facial expressions, gestures, posture) can show that he thinks differently than the rest of the group;

Tongue. To establish superiority over others, some introduce complex language structures into speech;

Accessories. Diamond pendants, hand-painted scarves, antique pocket watches and other trinkets reflect success and demonstrate the level of social and financial status;

Your surroundings. Individuality is sometimes expressed through interesting pieces of art, unusual furniture, etc.

The two basic needs are accompanied by other fundamental needs. The strength of the desire to gain approval and recognition from other people, the desire to adapt to their needs, is associated with the need for belonging and identification. The desire to emphasize individuality is associated with tasks such as highlighting oneself, emphasizing one’s successes, and demonstrating one’s own reasoned opinion.

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TEST

Discipline: Public Relations

Topic: “Image of the organization and its leader”

4.1. The concept of an organization's image. 14

4.2. Mechanisms for forming the image of an organization. 17

IN last years The importance of image for the development of the world as a whole is increasingly increasing. The concept of image is very broad. Image can be understood as the image of a company, the image of a product, the image of a politician, etc. The development of image science began with the emergence of so-called marketing thinking.

The concept of image is closely related to the concept of sales. Any action that arises during the interaction of people, one way or another, is associated with a sale, direct or indirect. People strive to please each other in order to be useful to each other in the future. The only exceptions in this case are close friends and family. Everyone else communicates, sometimes even unconsciously, in order to obtain some benefit for themselves. Therefore, the concept of image has become widespread in the business world. Image is the perception of others about the personality and activities of a person. As a rule, the concept of “image” is most often applied to the individual.

The personality of a leader plays a very important role in business. Often the company as a whole is judged by personality. Therefore, the problem of image formation is becoming increasingly urgent for managers.

The main problem facing the manager is the problem of building relationships with the team subordinate to him and senior management. These relationships should be built in such a way as to facilitate the establishment of efficient work the entire team, achieving the goals set for the organization as a whole.

The word “image” comes from the English concept of “representation”, “image”. In the generally accepted sense, image is understood as the impression made by a specific person, company, organization, or on others. Usually the word “image” is applied specifically to people.

The origin of the concept of “image” very accurately characterizes its meaning: image is not what a person really is, not the totality of his personal characteristics, but the image that is created in relation to this person by the people around him, or by people who create the impression of him. him with the help of means mass media. Often, a person’s image is very different from the personality itself.

In recent decades, the issue of image formation has become very important. A person’s influence on most of the environment is carried out precisely through the image, therefore the correct choice of image is the key to the success of many events. The problem of creating an image is especially important for politicians, representatives of show business, and people in creative professions. But these people are engaged in creating an image traditionally. IN Lately society has realized that image formation is also important for representatives of other professions and social groups. The importance of image in business has increased. There are many agencies in the world that specialize in image creation. In Russia, this business is just beginning to take shape.

People, as well as the media, approach society in terms of image. With the help of image, a person shows what place in society he assigns to himself. For example, a woman entrepreneur can, in various situations, present herself as a feminist, and as an entrepreneur, and as a working mother, and use these labels in order to better feel which cell of society she is in.

The image a person presents to the world around him is often perceived by other people as a reflection of his level of self-esteem. Showing interest in self-improvement, expressed in the desire to gain a clear understanding of one’s own psychology or the desire to correct one’s self-presentation, shows that a person has reached a certain level of self-esteem, has matured as a person and has the potential for growth and improvement.

The ability to present yourself includes the ability to appreciate your positive sides and understand where your weaknesses lie. What a particular person may perceive as a disadvantage is not necessarily so for others. For example, if two shy people meet, their shyness helps them to like each other. A person may be overweight and self-conscious about his size. But a plump person who takes his insecurities for granted, is healthy and cheerful, dresses with taste and realizes that he loves to communicate, can have a completely attractive image.

Self-image is subject to all sorts of influences, and the strongest influence on it is exerted by parents and upbringing. The child is largely shaped by his parents, providing him with a certain view of himself. If a person was not sufficiently encouraged by his parents and educators in childhood, he may develop a tendency toward excessive self-criticism. Such a person will set too high standards of behavior for himself and those around him and will be upset at the inability to achieve them.

Another factor influencing the formation of a person’s self-image is life experience. Many people, having just once experienced the unpleasant experience of speaking in front of an audience, consider themselves completely unfit for public speaking. Disapproving remarks from others only strengthen them in this opinion. If, day after day, a person learns from his own experience and from the reactions of others that he is not valued, then self-esteem may be too difficult for him. This can only be counterbalanced by a sufficient supply of self-esteem and awareness of one’s achievements.

If self-esteem is too low, improving the “external” image will only have a limited effect. In this case, the problem should be resolved with the help of a professional counselor, psychotherapist or psychoanalyst.

Self-esteem can be improved by working on your overall image. For example, if a person learns to overcome nervousness when speaking in public, others will notice his confidence and begin to react accordingly. The audience will be eagerly waiting to see what he has to say next. If a person cares about his appearance, others conclude that he respects and values ​​himself as an individual, and therefore is able to value others.

Individuality can be expressed:

· Appearance. Provocative clothing and an unusual haircut set a person apart from others, especially if at work he is engaged in some kind of traditional business.

· Posture and body language. In a situation where a person is at odds with others, his body language (facial expressions, gestures, posture) can show that he thinks differently than the rest of the group.

· Language. To establish superiority over others, some introduce complex language structures into their speech.

· Accessories. Diamond pendants, hand-painted scarves, antique pocket watches and other trinkets reflect success and demonstrate the level of social and financial status.

· Your surroundings. Individuality is sometimes expressed through interesting pieces of art, unusual furniture, etc.

Clothes and hairstyle play a big role significant role in creating an image. Each person, as if becoming like producers of goods, strives to “present” himself in a certain “packaging” in order to attract attention to himself, to his inner world and abilities. It is known that more attention is consciously paid to appearance than to other components of the image. The fashion, cosmetics and health industries provide a large amount of information and offer a huge variety of products and services that help improve appearance. Magazines and newspapers are full of advice on clothing, hairstyle, cosmetics, etc. An observant person can draw conclusions about internal image, personal values, and even subconscious decisions based on clothing and hairstyle.

These days, most people understand how important appearance is. Contrary to previously held belief, intelligence, ability and good looks are compatible with each other. Some people tend to think, "I'm too busy to pay attention to my appearance" or "Concerning my appearance is threatening my masculinity." But a critical observer is more likely to think of them, “He looks sloppy,” or even “He doesn’t respect himself,” or “This person offends the sensibilities of those present by dressing inappropriately.” If a person has a well-groomed appearance, that is, he is cleanly washed, his hair is neatly cut, his skin is clean, and his hands and teeth look attractive, then he seems to radiate positive self-esteem.

Self-care is a habit, and for a habit to stick, the appropriate actions must be repeated many times. It is necessary to show up to work every day well dressed and combed, and be consistent in this.

Hair. A hairstyle can make an image both tougher and softer. Many image consultants believe that men in leadership positions look best when they are clean-shaven. A mustache and beard hide a significant part of the face and make it difficult to read. A mustache is usually a military style, while a beard is seen as a sign of rugged masculinity or a desire to stand out. To keep your beard and mustache looking good, they need to be combed and trimmed regularly.

Leather. Typically, women have softer and thinner skin than men, so it requires more nourishment and protection. Both men and women need to regularly cleanse and moisturize their skin, especially after sun or water exposure. Leading cosmetics companies now offer a complete range of skin care products for men. While many people enjoy having tanned skin, there is a growing recognition that sun exposure ages the skin. Some sun protection products, especially for the face, can be used daily, including under makeup. Tanned people look healthier. But this can also be achieved by using special creams, with which you can quickly improve your complexion and give it a beautiful bronze tint. When filming on television and taking photographs, skin shine can be prevented by using a special cream.

Teeth. Beautiful smile is one of the important components of the image. Bad teeth can make you feel awkward when smiling or just talking. Some people deliberately speak without opening their mouth completely so that the interlocutor cannot see their teeth. If necessary, you should spend money on getting your teeth in order. This may be quite a lot of money, but the effect obtained from the appearance of beautiful and healthy teeth will be even greater. Most of the population, in addition, cannot afford these procedures due to the rather high prices. However, a manager is, by definition, not a poor person, and must spend part of his income on dental care. Bad teeth are considered one of the signs by which Russians are recognized abroad. Leaders should strive to change this situation.

Cloth. The desire to increase or decrease influence on people determines how a person dresses. Extroverts prefer unusual outfits, while introverts prefer sophisticated ones. The former prefer bright colors, while the latter prefer cold colors. Extroverts love a lot of jewelry, scarves and frills, while introverts' style is simple and modest. Even for those who pay little attention to clothing, this last distinction is important. Some people deliberately dress in such a way as to shock the public and provoke a response. Others blend into the crowd to such an extent that their appearance is difficult to remember. Three main elements help to realize the opportunity to express yourself in clothes: cut, color.

Cut. For work that frequently involves meetings and gatherings, formal suits are best. Business suit with pointed geometric shapes- authority and severity. A business person should avoid clothing with a lot of details - pockets, zippers, complex shape collars, shiny buttons. Such clothing distracts attention from the person himself, from what he says.

Colors. Clothes in neutral tones are the most versatile. Wearing brightly colored clothes can be overwhelming, especially if your skin is pale. In addition, bright clothes distract attention from the person himself, which is unacceptable for a leader. Dark neutral colors make a person appear more significant, while warm neutral colors such as beige and light brown make a person appear more approachable. The most important color is the one closest to the face. Shirts, blouses, ties should be in shades that suit the complexion and decorate it. The correct use of color in clothing makes a person's appearance dynamic and confident.

Relevance. The authority or "power" style of clothing is currently very popular and widely copied. Much more questions arise with the so-called “accessible” style. A company director's formal dark blue suit will look great at a board meeting, but can create distance in negotiations with union leaders. For this situation, a less formal gray suit or even just trousers and a sports jacket will be more suitable: these clothes will help create a relaxed atmosphere. If a female manager has to reprimand subordinates who are working in a very tense situation, it is better for her to wear a blue or green knitted suit instead of a strict black suit - this will give her a more understanding look. When seeking a promotion, a manager should dress the way he would dress for a job in a higher position. At the same time, higher authorities have more chances to imagine this manager in this position.

There is a close relationship and interdependence between consciousness and body. An important factor that significantly influences self-esteem is having a good body image. A good body image does not necessarily imply having a developed, “good” body. It means there is balance between the brain and body. Body image can be unattractive even with ideal body shapes from the point of view of fashion requirements. Even athletes and dancers can have body image issues. When the body becomes a means of earning a living, a means of asserting superiority over other people, requiring severe control, the balance between body and brain can be disrupted. The brain can become obsessed with trying to push the body to the limit of its physical capabilities, giving it ideal proportions, which is why it is constantly exhausting it with a strict diet and exercise. For some, a “discord” between the body and the brain results in the brain denying feelings and expressing them through the body. Physical skills can become an outward manifestation of internal inadequacies.

An overly critical attitude towards your own body can affect your image as a whole. On the contrary, a positive body image, acceptance of one's body as it is, can play a positive role in the formation of the image as a whole. The image can be improved by:

Posture and body language. Posture and body language can help you appear larger or smaller, or even hide problematic body parts (for example, sitting with your arms crossed over your stomach).

Appearance. With a balanced perception of body image, a person can dress in such a way as to emphasize the winning sides and obscure the weak ones.

The image is influenced by the ratio of extraversion and introversion in a person. There are no “pure” extroverts or introverts. Most people's personality is a mixture of these tendencies, with one tending to dominate.

Extroverts are focused on external reality. They like to be in company, communicate a lot with others, they prefer action to contemplation, they strive to please others and adapt to them. An extrovert's self-image often implies a high assessment of his “knowledge of people.”

Introverts have a strong inner reality. They take great pleasure in spending time alone, indulging in reflection, during which they form opinions and set certain goals for themselves. An introvert’s self-image presupposes that others recognize his “independent ideas.”

Thus, extroverts generally feel a stronger need to belong and identify with others, while introverts are more likely to assert independence. Extroverts often find it easy to avoid introspection and feel uncomfortable if they have to spend most of their time alone. Introverts avoid situations such as public speaking and feel uncomfortable if they have to interact a lot with other people. The different motivations of extroverts and introverts when interacting with others is the reason for the differences in the methods they use in the interaction process.

An extrovert, in his desire to stimulate others in order to achieve their reaction and achieve greater involvement, often resorts to the following techniques:

Uses expressive, expansive body language;

Wears clothes of bright colors, causing a reaction from others;

Adopts a friendly appearance in order to please others;

He talks a lot, trying to attract the attention of other people, or, on the contrary, is afraid to speak out for fear of incurring their disapproval;

Talks a lot and excitedly in order to constantly stimulate others, pays a lot of attention to them, uses facial expressions intensively, asks others a lot of questions in order to evoke a sense of belonging in them;

When talking about events, their description dramatizes;

Fills his surroundings with lots of stimulating trinkets and objects of material culture, makes the environment "friendly" by decorating it with plants and flowers and hanging portraits of family members and friends.

An introvert prefers to avoid stimulation by thinking about his own ideas. He shows his desire for individuality in the following ways:

Uses restrained body language, does not seek stimulation from other people, and does not dramatize the narrative through body language;

Wears clothes that do not cause an active reaction from others, calm colors and simple cut. His appearance may express indifference to the opinions of others or emphasize exclusivity and thereby reflect the desire to achieve the admiration of a select few;

Does not see any particular need for conversations, since the need for belonging with others is not a priority; if he speaks a lot, it is only to express his ideas;

He speaks calmly, giving himself time to think, choosing his words carefully;

Expresses carefully considered views and opinions and does not seek to provoke a reaction from others;

Interested more in ideas than in feelings;

Is indifferent to the environment, is not embarrassed by the clutter of the work environment, or chooses a minimalist environment, free from excessive outside stimulation.

Each person creates their own version of reality. In order to achieve success in interacting with other people (which, in fact, every leader should strive for), you should take into account that the realities of others may be very different from your own. If a leader is an extrovert, he can try to deepen the meaning of his “inner reality” by finding time for quiet, reflective activity alone. An introvert, on the other hand, can work on improving his skills in knowing people - focusing on the outside world and becoming involved with other people.

One theory of temperament connects its types with the activity of the central nervous system. Teaching of I.P. Pavlova on the influence of the central nervous system on the dynamic features of behavior identifies three main properties of the nervous system - strength, balance, mobility of excitatory and inhibitory processes and four main typical combinations of them in the form of four types of higher nervous activity:

1) strong, balanced, agile;

2) strong, balanced, inert;

3) strong, unbalanced;

4) weak.

The first type corresponds to the temperament of a sanguine person, the second - a phlegmatic person, the third - a choleric person, and the fourth - a melancholic person.

Each main type of temperament has an individual and personal orientation. The basic temperament of a person remains unchanged throughout life, but its formation can be influenced by circumstances. The diagrams show the main possible ways of developing temperament. Psychologists have proven that for each temperament two main subtypes can be formed, which, in turn, can move from one to another during a person’s life.

Negotiations are one of the main situations in which maintaining the image of a leader is important. In this case, the manager represents the company as a whole, and his image should help improve the impression of opponents about the company, or at least not harm the company's image.

If the opponent comes to the city in which this leader lives, the latter must take care of his meeting and accommodation. Particular respect is emphasized by the fact that the opponent is provided with a guide who accompanies him around the city and participates in the cultural program.

Creating an Environment. The organization of the employees' workplace is of particular importance. Even if the employee’s professional responsibilities do not include working with clients, his workplace should be organized so that the company's image is not damaged in the event of an unexpected visit.

The manager spends more time in the office than at home. Despite this, many managers spend less time on arranging their office than on thinking through the furnishings of their home.

The environment can significantly affect your attitude towards work and your mood. In a bright, spacious office that creates a pleasant atmosphere, a person feels differently than in a dirty, shabby room. Comfortable working conditions affect not only physical, but also mental well-being.

Office design professionals believe that the work environment should tell the story of the business, not the personalities of the workers. For example, if an employee puts on an “exhibition” of his accomplishments in sports or the arts at his workplace, he may unintentionally hurt the feelings of visitors. They will consider it necessary to ask what these objects are, so they will have to talk about them. Too obvious demonstration of advantages is overwhelming. By doing this, the employee deprives the visitor of the opportunity to notice in the future.

The issue of choosing a meeting room is very important. The success of negotiations is determined by a large set of components, which include a telephone available to everyone for communication with the “outside world,” a spacious meeting room, a room for confidential meetings, etc.

The management of the company should take care of comfortable furniture. In addition to the conference table, it is recommended to have another one at a distance. This table can be used to drink a cup of coffee or tea. A cozy and comfortable corner is formed around him, where in difficult and sometimes dead-end situations you can change the opponent’s mood. After breaks, productivity drops somewhat. Negotiations after drinking coffee or tea may take a slightly different tone. This approach is not only useful for representatives of a given company, but it can help improve the image of the company in general and the manager in particular.

Interview . A special case of negotiations is an interview. Almost every manager has to undergo an interview at least once in their life. During an interview, image is especially important. Since interviews, as a rule, are conducted by people who do not know the candidate personally, they judge him based on his image, the impression he makes. In order for this impression to be favorable, the candidate must be guided by a number of recommendations.

In order for the interview to go in the best way for the candidate, experts recommend:

Research the company he intends to work for;

Try to predict the questions that will be asked and prepare answers to them in advance; impromptu answers harm the candidate's image;

Carefully consider your wardrobe and overall appearance; clothing must correspond to the image of the company in which the candidate is going to work;

Do not ask questions about remuneration;

Behave calmly and confidently.

“Selling” your company image should be treated the same as selling any other product.

Recently, in connection with the development of market relations, innovative processes in the economy, science, education, culture, the specifics of the content and formation of both the image of an organization in general and the image of an organization in the sociocultural sphere in particular are of particular interest. The growing attention to the problem of forming a strong image of the organization is not accidental. A strong corporate image becomes a necessary condition achieving sustainable and lasting business success by the company. And there is a completely reasonable explanation for this. First, a strong image of the organization has the effect of acquiring a certain market power for the organization, in the sense that it leads to a decrease in price sensitivity. Secondly, a strong image reduces the substitutability of goods, which means it protects the organization from attacks by competitors and strengthens its position regarding substitute products. And thirdly, a strong image facilitates the company’s access to resources of various kinds: financial, informational, human, etc.

The image of an organization is a holistic perception (understanding and evaluation) of the organization by various public groups, formed on the basis of information stored in their memory about various aspects of the organization’s activities. Sources of such information may be rumors about the organization circulating in society; media reports, as well as personal contacts between a person and an organization. Thus, the corporate image has two components - image and assessment, which lend themselves only to a conditional conceptual distinction; in real existence they are inextricably linked:

The evaluative component exists due to the fact that any information about the organization contains an evaluation and evokes certain emotions of varying intensity; assessment of the organization's image is carried out by people around them through the prism of their own experience, value orientations of the individual, generally accepted norms, principles, and standards. The degree of truth of assessments made by a person on the basis of images is directly proportional to the depth of his knowledge in the area of ​​​​life, in the area where they are formed.

A number of signs of a corporate image that develop in practice:

Firstly, the image must be synthetic, i.e. planned to create a certain impression through a brand name, brand name and product type.

Secondly, the image of the corporation must be believable, reliable, in order to inspire confidence in people, and be identified with a specific person or corporation.

Thirdly, it must be passive. Since the image corresponds to reality to a certain extent, the one who creates it, to a certain extent, strives to become more like the image rather than make the image his own likeness.

Fourthly, the image must be bright and specific in order to appeal to human feelings.

Fifthly, it should be simple and memorable.

Sixthly, an important feature of the image is uncertainty; it must be found somewhere between feelings and reason, expectations and reality, in order to withstand unforeseen events and changes in tastes.

The structure of a corporation's image can include up to eight main components:

· The image of goods or services reflects people's perceptions of the unique characteristics that they believe they possess; while the functional value of a product or service is the main one, the additional value provides the product or service with distinctive properties.

· The image of a consumer of goods or services includes ideas about lifestyle, social status, and the status of some personal, in particular psychological, characteristics of clients. Great importance plays the ability of the organization's employees to establish extensive long-term business contacts. It is advisable to know all partners and regular customers personally.

· The internal image of an organization contains employees’ ideas about their institution, with its main determinants being the culture of the organization and the socio-psychological climate.

· The image of the leader of the organization or key managers includes ideas about abilities, attitudes, value orientations, socio-psychological characteristics, and the image of the leader.

· The personnel image is a collective, generalized image of all employees, revealing the most characteristic features of them. It is formed on the basis of direct contact with employees of the organization.

· The visual image of an organization contains the public’s perceptions of it, which arise on the basis of visual sensations that record information about the office interior, demonstration premises, and corporate symbols.

· The social image of an organization contains the general public’s ideas about social goals, the role of the organization in the economic, social, and cultural life of the city, region, and country.

· The business image of an organization contains ideas about the organization from the point of view of business activity.

Fig.1. Model of the organization's image.

By combining the above elements, it is possible to obtain an individual's response that represents his or her overall impression of the organization. The corporate image should be based on the unity of the internal and external images of the organization. Just as an individual image focused on perception will, all other things being equal, be more effective the more firmly it is based on the individual’s sense of self, and the image of an organization among external respondents is more stable if it is in accordance with the image of the same organization among its ordinary members. The corporate image is not as dynamic as the image of a person, however, with changes in conditions and conditions in the sociocultural sphere, it must be adjusted, and for this purpose it should be constantly monitored. It is also important that each element of the corporate image structure must be filled with information by the organization itself. Otherwise, mass consciousness, due to its stereotyping, will independently fill in the missing elements with content that does not always benefit the organization.

The purpose of the organization’s image of its creation is to ensure that subjects outside and inside the organization develop an image of this organization that will contribute to the achievement of those external goals and objectives set by its management.

Also, the corporate image has common features and with a group image. Since every organization consists of people, it can be represented as a group for which the categorization feature is belonging to a given organization, membership in it. The image of an organization always contains certain symbols related to the generalized image of a member of a given group, and in this sense it is a collective image of the people who make up the organization. However, unlike group image, corporate image, as a rule, is actively managed “from within” the prototype organization.

The image of an organization is the aggregate public perception of the organization by many people, the impression of it formed on the basis of personal contacts with the organization, rumors and media reports. In the structure of the analyzed concept, 8 elements are distinguished - the image of goods or services, the image of consumers, the internal image of the organization, the image of the leader, the image of staff, the visual image, the social image, the business image - by combining which you can influence the audience. The main functions of an organization's image include positioning it in the market, motivating the audience to action, as well as uniting employees and developing a team spirit among them. By effectively performing these functions, image becomes one of the key factors determining the successful functioning of the organization in modern conditions.

Image today is the most important characteristic of an organization, playing a significant role in increasing its competitiveness and attracting consumers and partners to it. Image acts as a means, a tool for solving problems. But its main feature is that it itself is the object of control. Corporate image management as a direction of theory and practice appeared in the United States more than half a century ago. By now, a conceptual apparatus has already been developed in this area. Its main elements:

· Vision - an idea of ​​the surrounding reality - present or future. Forming a vision is one of the main responsibilities of the leader of an organization. In order to steer the ship through market instability and uncertainty in the right direction, the captain must know where he is sailing.

· Corporate mission - socially significant status, socially significant role of the organization. A mission can be viewed as a strategic tool that identifies a target market and broadly defines the business, or core activities of an enterprise.

· Corporate identity - the values, judgments and norms of behavior shared in the company and defining the essence of the individual corporate culture. Corporate individuality is what a company really is, an analogue of a person’s personality, individuality.

· Corporate identity is what an organization communicates about itself, its individuality. Everything an organization says, does and creates shapes its identity.

· Corporate image is the perception of an organization by public groups. Achieving a favorable corporate image and consumer loyalty is the main goal of corporate identity management.

In general, the relationship between the above concepts can be reflected as follows:

Thus, based on ideas about the surrounding reality and based on the mission of the organization, the image maker emphasizes individual features of corporate individuality, thereby creating a corporate identity. Corporate identity, in turn, Fig. 2. The mechanism of image formation.

is the basis of corporate image. Feedback is very important in this process, ensuring that the organization’s image matches its mission.

The image may be somewhat different for different public groups because the desired behavior of these groups in relation to the organization may differ (Fig. 4). In this case, there is a synthesis of ideas about the organization of various public groups, as a result of which a more general and capacious idea of ​​the organization is created.

Fig.4. Image options.

Today, imageology has an extensive arsenal of image-forming tools. The main ones:

· Positioning. This technology is the most significant for imaging and represents the placement of an object in a favorable information environment.

· Manipulation. A fairly common method of communicative influence, performing the function of a “legend” or “myth” that masks true intentions.

· Mythologization. Associated with the construction of a double message that affects the level of consciousness and subconsciousness. Each person contains myths and archetypes at a deep level, and the task of the image maker is to activate this symbolism in a direction beneficial to oneself.

· Emotionalization. This method associated with the translation of any information from rational language into emotional language.

· Format. It is understood as the processes of creating contexts specified for the formation of the necessary image.

· Verbalization. This technique is based on the image maker’s ability to communicate in the language of the audience, to direct verbalization in the right direction when it is necessary to hide the real state of affairs.

· Detailing. This technique increases the level of impact of information, since details, being reference signals, are stored in memory longer.

· Distancing. This method is associated with the artificial removal of everything negative, negative, which destroys the positive image and reduces its rating.

· Visualization. This technique involves influencing the audience through several channels of perception at once.

The corporate image is formed on the basis of the organization's mission, corporate individuality and corporate identity, and the process of forming the organization's image includes four stages: determining the requirements of the target audience, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the object, matching the characteristics of the object to the requirements of the audience and translating the required characteristics of the object into verbal, visual and event forms. The main tools for forming the image of an organization include positioning, manipulation, mythologization, emotionalization, format, verbalization, detailing, distancing and visualization.

At the end of this work, the following conclusions can be drawn:

In order to gain an adequate understanding of oneself and draw conclusions about the need for any changes, a person must understand what causes the current state of affairs and by what means changes can be made. The fundamentals of education in the field of psychology are of particular importance. Many image problems can be solved with the help of a psychologist. If a manager does not consider it necessary to resort to the help of specialists, he must independently study the basics of psychology (which, of course, will not make him professional psychologist).

An attractive image of a leader is inseparable from knowledge of business etiquette and confident possession of relevant skills. There are significant differences across cultures different countries and peoples. These differences are due to different conditions for the formation of cultures, for example, natural, historical and other factors. A manager intending to work in another country must take into account the traditions that have developed there in order for the activities he carries out to be successful. Maintaining the leader's image is of particular importance. The image created in the home country of the leader may be perceived completely differently abroad. Therefore, every manager must take into account the etiquette standards of the country or region in which he has to work.

One of the points is devoted to negotiations, since they are one of the main situations in which image often plays a decisive role. A special case of negotiations is an interview. For many, it becomes the most important negotiation in life. Therefore, some attention is paid to the problem of presenting oneself at an interview. Almost every leader has gone through this stage at least once in his life.

Of particular importance is the company's training (with the direct participation of the manager) of its employees. In the West, it has long been customary to train candidates for management positions in the future within the company. Employees to whom the company pays sufficient attention to training and preparation are more loyal to it and help improve the company's image in the eyes of other people. The image of the organization is inseparable from the image of the leader. Thus, by promoting the professional development of employees by taking part in their affairs, a manager can gain their respect and appreciation, and his image will improve significantly.

The final paragraph is devoted to the problem of choosing methods for forming an image. There are quite a few ways to improve your image, but the rule that the main task in this activity is determining the goal can be considered fair for everyone. After choosing a goal, the question arises adequate self-esteem and analysis of the assessment that others can give. The choice of the image formation method itself is purely individual task, and depends on the solution of the first two. In addition, the choice is determined by the available financial, time and other resources.

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5. Lysikova O.V. Imageology and public relations in the sociocultural sphere: textbook. allowance/O.V. Lysikova, N.P. Lysikov. – M.: Flinta: MPSI, 2006 – 168 p.

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Types and classification of image

Introduction

Man lives both in the symbolic and in real world. We can identify a number of situations where we react precisely to the image, and not to reality:

This is the image-reputation that we rely on when contacting a bank or airline. An ordinary client is not able to rely on an annual report or audit, so he forms an independent image of the desired object under the influence of the media.

This is the image of a politician. Since the voter has no personal contact with him, he must respond to his symbolic representation in the form of an image. In the case of voting on party lists, the voter can also rely solely on the image of the party and its leaders.

This is the image of the product. If there are many objectively identical brands, for example, washing powders, beer or cigarettes, the buyer begins to react to the symbolic differences between them, previously implanted into the image of this product by specialists.

This is the image of the company, which arises as part of the intangible assets of the company when it is sold to another person. In this case, a significant part of the amount is paid precisely for its symbolic dimension.

The image in concentrated form sets the essence of a person or organization. Based on the image, we can build our relationship with this person. A simple truth follows from this: the more accurately we choose and build our image, the more effective communication will be.

Since a person lives not only in the real world, but also in the symbolic world, we can consider the image as a unit of this particular symbolic world. We actively operate with symbolic processes, in some cases without even realizing it. For example, speaking about the university as a temple of science, we make a metaphorical transfer of one symbolic construction in the form of the word “temple” to a completely different object. Many problems of the modern world are problems that can be solved precisely at this purely communicative level. They do not require serious material investments for their solution.

Types of images

Image has always been present, but in our time its importance is increasing sharply. This can be explained by the fact that the image is a natural product of processing large amounts of information. Since we are not able to store all this volume, we begin to use labels that refer to the situations behind them. Successfully selected shortcuts are pinned. In any situation we have such labels-images.

The image is a response to the demands of the context put forward by a specific historical period.

Image is iconic characteristics, where there is form and content. We must know the external signs that refer us to the meaningful characteristics of a given image.

Communications should never be limited to controlling one thing. Only an integrated approach can help in creating the right image.

The image exists because we ourselves react positively to it. It's just cultivating the right reactions. And in general, its positive aspect is that both parties generate types of behavior in which they themselves are interested.

Image represents the most effective presentation of a message, which is able to bypass the various filters that each person has. This is where the idea of ​​image arises as the public or external “I” of a person, which quite often may differ from his internal “I”. From the entire set of our characteristics, we must select those that will undoubtedly be positively assessed by others.

English researcher Eleri Sampson speaks of personal image as a combination of a number of external and internal factors that determine self-image, perceived image and desired image. This typology reflects a view of the image from different positions: from the side of one’s self and from the side of other people, from the side of realities and from the side of desires.

Self-image stems from past experiences and reflects the current state of self-esteem. If you want to be respected, you must first learn to respect yourself.

Perceived image is how others see us. Naturally, this point of view may differ from the previous one. We often don’t know (especially for politicians) how they really treat us, how they really respond.

The required images of professions require certain and heavy characteristics. In some cases, this spore is caused by the type of clothing.

As you can see, image is a complex concept. Therefore, it can be analyzed from different perspectives. Let us dwell on three possible approaches to the functional image, in which different types of image are distinguished based on different functioning; contextual, in which these types are found in different contexts; comparative, in which similar images are compared.

The functional approach has several possible options: mirror, current, desired, corporate and multiple. Let's take a closer look at them.

Mirror. This image is characteristic of our self-image. Its disadvantage is minimal consideration of outside opinions. At the same time, he can determine the characteristics of leaders and organizations.

Current. This version of the image is typical for an outside view. It is in this area that PR finds its application, since lack of awareness, misunderstanding and prejudice shape the image of a politician or organization no less than real actions. The most important task here is to obtain not so much a favorable, but rather a correct, adequate type of image.

Desired. This type of image reflects what we strive for. It is especially important for created structures. Nobody knows anything about them yet, so it is the desired image that can appear as the only possible one.

Corporate. This is the image of the organization as a whole, and not of some individual divisions or the results of its work. Here is the reputation of the organization, its successes, and the degree of stability. This type of image is especially important for financial structures. This area should be of interest to those who work in the field of PR.

Multiple. This version of the image is formed when there are a number of independent structures instead of a single corporation.

The image should be holistic, consistent, and its individual features should not contradict one another. The systemic nature of the image is beneficial for the image maker, since it allows one introduced feature to evoke related characteristics in the mass consciousness. At the same time, it is not necessary to set the task of winning everyone’s love, as often happens.

The third possible image cut is comparative. In this case, we compare the image characteristics of, for example, two political candidates, two companies, two products. Such a clearer classification is necessary in order to have specific goals towards which a PR campaign can be aimed.

Let's add to our list of possible images the closed image characteristic of many Soviet and post-Soviet leaders. It is probably interesting because each consumer can add to it those features that he himself considers most convincing. This image, like a “black hole”, is ready to accept everything. And the less information the audience has, the more serious and significant the figure of such a politician begins to look.

We can also introduce the concept of a mythological image, by which we mean the subordination of a leader to certain myths that have developed in a given society.

The image is a reflection of the requirements of mass consciousness. It, as the most effective type of message in this type of communication, is able to pass through the filters of distrust and inattention characteristic of mass consciousness. The conservative nature of mass consciousness allows us to rely on models that have already been tested by humanity. The image operates in conditions that are not very favorable for its spread. For this reason, it must be structured in such a way that it is possible to achieve an unambiguous reaction to it from the audience. We can conclude: image is a rather complex phenomenon in which completely heterogeneous factors are intertwined. And all of them must be taken into account, since human perception also goes through many channels, and each of them must carry out its own specific work. We also believe that the main thing for creating an image is its communication component. Image is a tool for communicating with mass consciousness. That is why he exaggerates the image of a politician, giving clues to the mass consciousness, directing it to those points that are most significant to him.

The choice of the type or type of image determines the strategy and content of the activity to create it. For this purpose, image typologies were created. They were developed on the basis of general and special grounds according to the criteria of similarity and difference. Let us consider these basic foundations and the corresponding typologies of image.

image information emotion functional