Your friends are an extension of who you are. When other people in your life meet your friends they will connect them to your character, your attitude and what you hold important.
With that in mind, consider: how do you describe your friends? How do they treat other people in their lives? How do they see the world? Are they positive, happy, open-minded, adventurous and goal-oriented? Are you?
Your personal brand is defined by what others say about you. Knowing that, it makes sense to create a leadership brand experience that is reflective of your personal brand standards and how you want to stand out.
Doing what is expected positions you to blend in. To stand out and create an experience that screams ‘high standards’ you need to be willing to do the unexpected.
You have just stepped into a new role or been asked to lead a major project. You’re excited and you want to make an exceptional first impression. Your first 30 days whiz by and you feel like you’re lacking the impact you had hoped for.
The mirror is a powerful tool!
I know you typically think about using the mirror to fix yourself up or check yourself out. Although, you can also use the mirror to build your self-esteem and confidence.
I work with women who have experienced violence and witnessed amazing transformations when using the mirror as a tool (Psst, it works with clients too).
Opening up the conversation in the last blog about the magic ratio of positive and negative feedback has clients asking, “Is it really necessary? Do I really have to provide positive feedback for tasks that should be done anyway?”
My answer is, “No, it is not necessary and no, you don’t have to. However, it is something to consider if you want to build positive brand equity and potentially stretch yourself to go beyond what is required to create the impression you desire.”
There are times in life when everything falls into place nicely, and it becomes what we expect. There are other times when things seem to go wrong at every turn – mistakes are made, deadlines are missed and conflicts occur. It is in these moments we catch ourselves saying ‘nothing’ ever goes right! So how can we create a balance between the negative and positive?
It could be that you’re deciding to accept that ideal job with a long commute OR debating if you should go sightseeing on vacation in the rain.
When deciding, to do or not to do, thoughts are typically focused on what might happen or what you’re not going to like about it. The final decision affects both the experience you have and the perception you create for your brand.
Presenting yourself to create the impression you desire, before you even say a word, involves several key elements that go beyond your clothing. You may not consciously be aware of these elements, but they definitely influence how you are perceived.
NOTE: To provide help in the clothes you wear the previous post lists five tips to keep in mind when choosing your clothes to ensure you deliver the message you intend.
I walked into a company’s training room recently where I would be delivering an afternoon workshop. The facilitator from the morning session was packing up and stopped to introduce himself. He then quickly went to slip on his suit jacket and asked, “How do I look?”
Have you ever found yourself thinking ‘I’ve been in this situation before?’ Have you found yourself getting similar results despite thinking you are doing things better to create positive change?
