Neha Ratnakar
Image Consultant AUTHOR
neha@splendidconsultant.in
“Best measure of your success in business and social interactions, is the impact you create in your first impression.”
Your first impressions are formed within 7 to 17 seconds of meeting someone for the first time. When you meet someone, s/he creates an opinion about you. As a prehistoric survival mechanism, the human brain is hardwired to make assumptions based on what we see.
Your Image is your visual resume. Much before people know about your strengths they decide about you based on your visual resume. As a decision maker, it is but natural for your family, friends, clients, employees, colleagues to look up to you. Therefore, it is vital to always look your best while epitomizing your personality, values, characteristics, lifestyle and beliefs, ultimately sending out or projecting a certain visual message.
Fortunately, you can learn how to create a positive impact in the first meeting and make these decisions work in your favour, through Personal Image Consulting.
Image consulting is managing one’s Appearance, Behaviour and Communication in order to project a suitable, genuine and smart image. It is about managing your first impressions.
Who needs Image Consulting? Image Consulting is for everyone who wants to upgrade his/her style to match with roles and professional and social goals. Be it a student, working professional, a socialite or a celebrity. An employee’s or a CEO’s image will have an impact on the company’s image; a socialite’s or celebrity’s image plays a great role in their careers.
As an Image consultant, I come across with some common questions:
I believe in simple living. How will Image Consulting help me? Image consulting and image management does not necessarily mean high fashion brands or glamorous clothes. Image Consulting is adapting style which is appropriate –suitable to our attitude, goals and the audience we interact with.
A classic example can be Mahatma Gandhi’s image in South Africa and when he consciously adopted dhoti clad image later. This epoch-making decision was taken by Gandhiji in Madurai after he decided that he has to work for and with the with the poor people of India and how can he identify with them if he wears different clothes from them. A change in his philosophy and life goals simply reflected from his appearance, behaviour and communication.
Is Appearance part of Image consulting only about western clothes and culture? No, Image Consulting is about appropriate (as per occasion) and authentic (that suits you) dressing. It includes Indian as well as Western styles, blend of fashion trends and use of right accessories.
How is Image consulting different than Personality Development? Personality development is generic improvement in all spheres of the individual’s life. Image Consulting is an art as well as science of consciously creating an authentic and appropriate image (reputation) that is in harmony with one’s personality type.
Here are few tips to help you manage your image in business or at workplace:
Appearance & Grooming: What you wear tells the story of who you are—it can tell your frame of mind, educational background, country or place of origin, and social attitudes.
- Think carefully about who it is you’re trying to influence and why. What do they care about and why is it important? The way you’d dress at a business conference full of middle-aged folks is different from how you would dress at a high school reunion.
Whatever message you’re trying to send to the world, never forget the clothes you put that message in will determine the way it’s received. So, choose your look carefully. 2. Wear clothes that flatter your personality. Choosing outfits as per our personal features and mood is equally important to project a genuine image. Avoid copying styles from catalogues.
Behaviour: People are constantly observing your behaviour and forming theories about your competence, character, integrity and commitment, which are rapidly disseminated throughout your workplace. The Behaviour and etiquette is also about being socially skilled and aware of essential protocols.
- Say what you mean and mean what you say: Please, Thank you and Sorry are golden words of courtesy and you should mean them when you say.
- A well-bred man will always show respect to a woman.
Communication is the human connection & the key to personal and career success. Polite language, clear thoughts and assertiveness make your communication effective.
- Choose your message and words as per the situation and audience. Evaluate your message if it is accurate, brief and clear.
- Showcase Self Confidence & Positive Attitude through a strong handshake – confident handshake is unspoken word that initiates conversation. Beware of your body language signals. Nonverbal communication should reinforce what is being said, not contradict it. If you say one thing, but your body language says something else, your listener will likely feel that you’re being dishonest.
Wish you a splendid reputation with influence (appearance), sophistication (etiquette) and confidence(Communicatin) in business!
8378091527
neha@splendidconsultant.in
