As a long time image consultant, who mostly works with Silicon Valley based entrepreneurs and executives, I’ve pondered the brouhaha that erupted this past week everywhere in the media, even in Paris where I’ve been visiting, when Facebook C.E.O. Mark Zuckerberg showed up wearing a hoodie to meet with Wall Street investment brokers.
My list of 10 ways to exude confidence at work is inspired by a recent Forbes.com article, How To Be More Confident At Work, which caught my attention for a couple of important reasons. Truth is, looking and feeling confident in your 9-5 isn’t just about wearing the right clothes. It’s about your attitude.
Associations that affect your brand are all around you everyday. Your group of friends, where you go to network, social clubs, chambers of commerce, and professional associations are all examples of associations that affect your brand. How, you might wonder? Let’s look at several examples.
How do you know if you need to improve your likeability factor? The answer is directly proportional to your desire to finding greater professional or social success.
What could your personal image and the vision of Camille Pissarro, the dean of Impressionism, have in common? My cheeky answer is that image is in the eye of the beholder. But there’s actually much more to it than that.
Making your personal image deliciously irresistible is similar to what goes into serving up a delicious plate of authentic Mexican food.
This past weekend while in Hawaii, I met Hector and Helena Sol, two well-known Silicon Valley restaurateurs who own and run Palo Alto Sol and Viva Sol in Mountain View, and who really love running these thriving hot spots. The more we talked, the more we both became clear about some pretty big things that I think you’d really appreciate reading.
Life today is lived in the fast lane, even when it comes to buying clothing. Many people are buying clothes like they consume fast food. And we all know what happens with fast food: instant satisfaction and later regret.
Speeding through life like this has negative implications on your brand and image.
What I want to draw your attention to today is that you consider your brand and image at the same time.
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Almost exactly four years ago, I wrote this piece as a style column that appeared in the Metro Silicon Valley. Since my musical heroine is appearing in Oakland this week, I had to bring this piece to my blog. It’s even been cited on Wikipedia!
Stevie Nicks, currently touring with Rod Stewart just before the release of her first studio album in ten years [In Your Dreams], is truly an icon of music and of style. In fact, her music and her style are completely melded, each reflected in the success of the other. The crystalline intertwining of her visual and vocal characteristics is pure genius. This performance persona has led to a celebrated career spanning four decades.
If you’ve ever felt held back from reaching your ideal professional audience or from effectively communicating your strengths, it could very well be that your personal brand needs your attention. Even though there is a lot of buzz surrounding the concept of personal branding, I realize there is skepticism about it. But if the Kardashian sisters can connect with millions and make zillions on their brand, you can become wildly successful, too.
Do you see and interact with others through a “generational lens”? This past weekend I attended an educational curriculum for professional image consultants that examined the four generations: Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Generation Y, and how to apply this information into our practices. The reasons for appreciating generational differences and similarities are twofold. First, there’s a chance to help workplace culture understand how to bridge the communication gap between generational differences. Second, is an opportunity to better understand an individual on the basis of his or her generational identity.