4 Managing your image: How to create an impact
Along with increasing your visibility in the office, managing your image can really help you in your quest for promotion. It’s not something that many of us would automatically think about, but canny image management can increase the confidence people place in you and the career opportunities that come your way.
It starts, as you’d imagine, with the first impression you make. Perceptions are remarkably difficult to dislodge once they’re in place, so do think about the kind of impact you want to create from the outset and how you can achieve this. If you can get this right, it’ll be much less complicated to manage your image in the longer term.
Step one: Understand how managing your image can help you at work
Before we go any further, don’t think that managing your image means that you can’t be yourself. In fact, it’s anything but that. To put across the best possible impression of yourself, you have to feel comfortable with everything you say and do, or people will pick up on it and think you’re putting on an act. Image management is merely presenting yourself in the best light, not a false light. We all exercise some control over the way we behave in different situations—this is just another instance in which conscious control can bring advantages.
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Creating a good impression isn’t size or shape dependent, thankfully—just think of some of the most successful business people, politicians, or celebrities! A good impression is created through your intention and the way you feel about yourself. Try portraying yourself in different ways in front of a mirror and see what a difference it makes to the way your body responds. Your body language follows your thoughts. Get your thoughts right, and you’ll have no problem.
You can even create a good impression when you’re feeling under pressure. The best way to do this is to try and ‘tune in’ to the expectations of the other people you may be meeting. For example, if you have to give an important presentation, do some useful preparation work beforehand. Check who will be in the audience and anticipate what sorts of questions will be asked of you so that you can cope with whatever’s thrown at you—include some worst-case scenarios as well! Rehearse your presentation, be confident about your material, and feel comfortable in what you’re going to wear. If you feel inside that you’re successful, you’ll behave as if you are and convey that impression to others too.
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It can be difficult to judge how you’re coming across to others and you may be worried that you’re trying too hard. If this is the case, take a step back and observe people who naturally manage their image well. You can pick up useful clues from their behaviour. Also ask for feedback and advice from people you trust on what you could do more successfully.
Step two: Understand the five Cs
It’s said that an impression is created in the first seven seconds of meeting someone and that, once that impression is made, it’s hard to change it. You need to think about how to make those vital few seconds work for you, and thinking about the ‘five Cs’ can help. They are:
context
communication
credibility
clothing
composure/confidence
1 Context
First of all, be aware of the context you find yourself in. Understand the purpose of the occasion, the agendas of those present, and the circumstances surrounding the situation. Whether you’re being interviewed for a job or conducting an important client meeting, spend some time thinking about what your audience’s expectations are and how you can meet these. For example, is it an occasion where you should go out on a limb to distinguish yourself from others, or is it a time when you need to show how well you can fit in to the established order of things?
2 Communication—verbal and non-verbal
Once you understand the kind of occasion you’re facing, think about what you’re going to say—and how you’re going to say it. Good communicators are able to adjust the tone, tenor, and timing of their speech to make the maximum impact.
Neurolinguistic programming (NLP) has a great deal to say on this subject. It recommends listening closely to the kinds of words that other people use so that you can better understand the way they interpret and represent the world. This divides into five different arenas: visual, kinaesthetic, auditory, gustatory, and olfactory, with the first three being the most common.
For example, some people ‘see’ things in their mind’s eye and say things like: ‘I can see what you’re saying’ or ‘I have a clear vision of what this will look like’. Others make ‘sense’ of the world through movement, touch, and feelings, and use phrases that describe a sense or movement, such as: ‘I feel very positive about this’ or ‘The change in the market may mean a crushing blow to the business’. People who have an auditory approach will say things like, ‘I hear what you’re saying’ or ‘It sounds suspicious to me!’
Whenever you meet someone or a group of people, take some time to listen carefully to what they say so that you can find out which type of language appeals to them most— visual, kinaesthetic, or auditory—or at least use a mixture of the three so that there is something there for everyone. Compatible language and body language gives the impression of immediate rapport, which is enormously helpful in creating an impact.
On this note, do make sure that your body language is consistent with what you’re saying. If you don’t believe in your message, your body will show it somehow and this mismatch is called leakage. You often see it when people are nervous or are saying something they know to be untrue. You’ll see their feet shifting, a knee jiggling, or exaggerated gestures as they try to compensate for their discomfort with their own words.
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To make an excellent impact when you’re giving a presentation, speak clearly and enunciate your words properly so that everyone can hear you without having to strain. Stand tall and remember that the speed, tone, and pitch of your voice are all signals that will be picked up by your audience.
3 Credibility
Don’t bluff. Make sure you know your stuff and that you have a few (true!) examples to drop into conversation to show the depth of your knowledge. Many of us have been trained as children not to blow our own trumpets or boast about our achievements, but in a work context—especially if you’re hoping to get noticed—you need to find opportunities to show your experience and skills. To do this, make connections with what others say and use them as openings to illustrate your own experiences. For example, if you agree with what someone has said, you could say ‘Yes, I know what you mean. I found that when I . . . ’.
Do take care not to overdo things, though. Make sure you listen carefully to others rather than just lurk on the edges of a conversation trying to say your piece. Obviously you want to tell others about your achievements, but you need to do it in a way that enhances their opinion of you, not that detracts from it. Just as importantly, show an interest in other people and don’t hog the limelight.
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Even if there are lots of people you are desperate to make contact with at a particular event, don’t start looking over the shoulder of the person or persons you’re speaking to in order to see who you might want to move on to next. However hard you try to mask your social rubbernecking, others will notice and won’t be impressed.
4 Clothing
What you wear can enhance or destroy a first impression. Too much of a good thing can be a disaster: too bright, too tight, too sexy—extremes will paint a picture of you that will stay in the observer’s mind.
What to wear largely depends upon the situation. The safest strategy is to reflect the style of those that you’ll be meeting, perhaps erring on the side of conservatism. If you work in (or are hoping to work in) a less traditional setting, you have the freedom to be a bit more creative, but if you’re working in a reasonably traditional corporate setting, it’s best to reflect that in your clothes.
Good grooming is equally vital. Make sure that you’re well turned out. Try to avoid dark wet patches under your arms, an unironed shirt or blouse, and food-stained clothes. Clean and tidy is the best bet for most occasions.
5 Composure/confidence
Composure comes from confidence. When you’re sure of what you want and are well prepared, you’ll feel confident and seem composed to others. This will allow you to manage any unexpected turns in the situation without a problem.
Once you’ve created a good impact, you’ll find it relatively easy to maintain. Just as bad impressions are hard to displace, so are good impressions. If you invest in getting it right first time, you won’t have to concern yourself with how to change the impression at a later date.
Common mistakes
You try too hard at first
Image management is a subtle skill. A common mistake is to try too hard, exaggerating your natural characteristics in order to convey confidence. Try practising in front of a friend or trusted colleague and ask for feedback on the impression you’re creating. Be open to trying something different. If you’re embarrassed to do this, try it in front of a mirror. You won’t get feedback as such, but mirrors never lie!
You leave it to chance
You can inadvertently create a poor image by expecting people to know where your talents or intentions lie without actually telling them. You have to engage actively in creating an image. If you want others to know about something, find a way of weaving it subtly into the conversation. Provide your audience with a hook that they can remember you by. If you ‘project’ bland, you may be remembered as bland. Or you may not be remembered at all!
You go too far accidentally
Misreading a situation and drawing attention to yourself in a negative way can be difficult to recover from. If this happens, you may find it best to declare your mistake and start again. Few people can come up smelling of roses and rally in situations like this.
You forget that other people have networks
Do remember that the impressions you make on others will travel beyond your immediate audience. Each person you meet has a network; so, if you create a good impression, word will spread round that network and you could reap the rewards. If you’re indiscreet or misjudge a situation, the ‘bad’ news will travel just as fast, if not faster. Bear in mind that you aren’t meeting just one person, or a few people, but in a ‘virtual’ sense, their close acquaintances too.
STEPS TO SUCCESS
Managing your image can be a real help if you’re trying to get yourself noticed during your promotion campaign.
Don’t see image management as trying to be something—or someone—you’re not, but rather as a way of showing yourself and your skills in the best light.
To make a good impression on someone, try to tune in to his or her expectations or outlook on the world.
Listen carefully to the language that other people use and use similar phrases that will have resonance with them—they’ll immediately feel that you’re on the same wavelength.
While it’s important to let other people know what your strengths are, use your common sense about how and when to talk about yourself. Judge the occasion carefully, be brief, and remember to ask people about themselves too. It’s a conversation, not a monologue!
If you’re worried about how you might be coming across to others, ask a friend or trusted colleague for some feedback. If you feel that people are misunderstanding you, it could be simply that you’re trying too hard and inadvertently coming across as ‘false’.
Think about the 5 Cs when you’re trying to make a good impression on someone: context, communication, credibility, clothing, and composure/confidence.
Make sure your body language is consistent with what you say: it’s easy to tell if you feel uncomfortable with what you’re saying (even though you might think you’ve got away with it).