In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Dr. Maja Zelihic, Dean at the Forbes School of Business and Technology at the University of Arizona Global Campus. Dr. Maja Zelihic is coauthor along with Dr. Diane Hamilton of The Power of Perception: Eliminating Boundaries to Create Successful Global Leaders. In this conversation, Dr. Maja Zelihic talks about the power of perception, its influence on the working environment, and perception's role in leadership. Maja Zelihic also shared factors affecting our perceptions and how perception affects our behaviors. Finally, Dr. Maja Zelihic shared practical ideas on how leaders can better account for perceptions to communicate better and lead their teams more effectively. Some highlights:-Maja Zelihic's upbringing, becoming a refugee, and the importance of a healthy support system-How kind words can influence a person's perspective and life journey-Maja Zelihic on why perceptions matter-Critical factors that can impact our perceptions in a corporate setting-What leaders need to do to understand their own perceptions -Maja Zelihic on how empathy plays a role in predicting and understanding perceptions-The impact of hybrid work on perceptions of organizational leaders and colleagues Mentioned:Dr. Maja Zelihic's Tedx talk: Perception is an E.P.I.C. realityDr. Diane Hamilton, Founder and CEO of Tonerra, co-author of The Power of PerceptionLarry Robertson, author of Rebel Leadership  (Listen to Larry Robertson’s episode on Partnering Leadership here) Connect with Maja Zelihic:Maja Zelihic WebsiteThe Power of Perception on AmazonMaja Zelihic on TwitterMaja Zelihic on LinkedInConnect with Mahan Tavakoli:https://mahantavakoli.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahan/More information and resources are available at the Partnering Leadership Podcast website:https://www.partneringleadership.com/Connect with Mahan Tavakoli: Mahan Tavakoli Website Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn Partnering Leadership Website