Facing the Dictate of Appearance: How to Cultivate Your Image Capital
4 October 2010
Read by 1969 persons
Companies are not exempt from the dictate of appearances; everyone is judged according to the image they project. Managers are aware of the importance of cultivating their image. Executives increasingly seek the help of coaches, media trainers, or image consultants to correct their flaws.
Management specialists often admit that more than 50% of the opinion we form of an individual is based on the first impression, 40% on nonverbal language and voice, and the rest on the content of the message. Image has always played a preponderant role in people's daily lives. Expressions highlight the importance of self-image: "Seeing oneself like this or like that," "Am I capable of doing this or that?", "I can't see myself in this situation"...
Politicians, managers, show business and sports personalities... No one escapes social pressure and the dictate of appearances. Because we are constantly observed and watched by our surroundings: superiors, colleagues, clients, shareholders..., we must project a good image. Everything hinges on this detail. For example, clothing is subject to codes specific to each professional field. Professions that need to highlight their seriousness, such as bankers and lawyers, will opt for dark suits and neutral-colored shirts, not to mention, of course, a tie.
Generally speaking, this aspect is taken care of when meeting clients: the executive then has a representative role and conveys the image of their company through their own.
It is therefore established that professional image is becoming increasingly important. Malgorzata Saadani, certified coach and CEO of ANC Communications, explains: "We have entered the era of marketing and commercial image. For a manager, a good professional image reflects an interest in oneself but also in the company, society..."
What ultimately constitutes professional image? According to Ms. Saadani, it is a whole set of personal information (attitudes, behaviors, character traits...) that we communicate or transmit consciously or unconsciously. The image we have of a person is first perceived by our senses, particularly sight. Starting with physical appearance. Whether beautiful or ugly, some people are imposing while others give the impression of wanting to flee. "The image is heard and seen," summarizes Rolande Allene, coach and CEO of Formaction.
From a clothing standpoint, "it is not necessary to spend a lot of money to dress well, the important thing is to have a good presence, to be dressed appropriately," emphasizes Yahia Benmoussa, CEO of Printemps Ameublement.
Ms. Saadani reminds us that accessories are just as important. In her opinion, "moderation and sobriety are often appreciated." She adds that a professional outfit should have few jewels and it is especially important to avoid flashy and overly conspicuous accessories.
Attitudes towards others, the words used, and the way things are said are also important in maintaining one's image. They can give a manager a tyrannical and demotivating character for their collaborators or, conversely, an encouraging and constructive one.
Cultivating one's image is, in a way, gaining charisma. Everything can hinge on a glance or gesture. Some managers know better than anyone how to win over an audience. "Often, during press conferences, some managers have the unfortunate tendency to fix their PowerPoint presentation on the screen or glance briefly at the audience. This is because they hide strong shyness or don't know how to behave with their audience," notes Malgorzata Saadani. To captivate your audience, you need to scan the room step by step and linger on a face. A shifty or aggressive gaze will only alienate your audience. The body must also remain in harmony with the speech.
Working on your image also requires eliminating differences in status to emphasize proximity and mobilize people. It means abolishing protocols that paralyze. Image is not linked to function. "Often, my collaborators called me by my job title. However, this bothers me, especially with people older than me. I immediately broke down this barrier. I simply asked them to call me by my first name. For me, it's a way of being on the same level as everyone else," emphasizes the purchasing director of a major local company.
Finally, the manager must ensure that the values and rules in force in the company are respected, as well as a certain savoir-faire. To gain the support of collaborators, it is best to be able to establish rules collectively, which is not always possible. If they are imposed, the manager must explain their reason for being, their purpose, to allow everyone to understand them. They must also lead by example, being the first to follow the rules they impose, at the risk of completely discrediting themselves.
Training yields tangible results, but not immediately
More and more, personal development training sessions offer courses focused on behavioral techniques. And while these trainings never mention "image" in their titles, they come very close. At Deo Compétences, for example, there are tailor-made programs for top managers. They work on oral expression, priority management, and charisma. The two-day module informs participants about their strengths and weaknesses in terms of self-image.
IS Force, a training institute, also offers media training modules designed to improve persuasion skills.
Today, more and more senior executives attend such training courses or seek image consultants, a profession that is beginning to establish itself. This is the case of Adil Talbi, division director at a multinational company, who, following a coaching program, had to work on his charisma to better communicate with his team. "Often, we don't know the image we really project to our team. This exercise allowed me to know myself better but also to know how my collaborators perceive me," he emphasizes. However, the results cannot be seen immediately.
Posted online on October 4, 2010
Lavieeco.com
Management specialists often admit that more than 50% of the opinion we form of an individual is based on the first impression, 40% on nonverbal language and voice, and the rest on the content of the message. Image has always played a preponderant role in people's daily lives. Expressions highlight the importance of self-image: "Seeing oneself like this or like that," "Am I capable of doing this or that?", "I can't see myself in this situation"...
Politicians, managers, show business and sports personalities... No one escapes social pressure and the dictate of appearances. Because we are constantly observed and watched by our surroundings: superiors, colleagues, clients, shareholders..., we must project a good image. Everything hinges on this detail. For example, clothing is subject to codes specific to each professional field. Professions that need to highlight their seriousness, such as bankers and lawyers, will opt for dark suits and neutral-colored shirts, not to mention, of course, a tie.
Generally speaking, this aspect is taken care of when meeting clients: the executive then has a representative role and conveys the image of their company through their own.
It is therefore established that professional image is becoming increasingly important. Malgorzata Saadani, certified coach and CEO of ANC Communications, explains: "We have entered the era of marketing and commercial image. For a manager, a good professional image reflects an interest in oneself but also in the company, society..."
What ultimately constitutes professional image? According to Ms. Saadani, it is a whole set of personal information (attitudes, behaviors, character traits...) that we communicate or transmit consciously or unconsciously. The image we have of a person is first perceived by our senses, particularly sight. Starting with physical appearance. Whether beautiful or ugly, some people are imposing while others give the impression of wanting to flee. "The image is heard and seen," summarizes Rolande Allene, coach and CEO of Formaction.
From a clothing standpoint, "it is not necessary to spend a lot of money to dress well, the important thing is to have a good presence, to be dressed appropriately," emphasizes Yahia Benmoussa, CEO of Printemps Ameublement.
Ms. Saadani reminds us that accessories are just as important. In her opinion, "moderation and sobriety are often appreciated." She adds that a professional outfit should have few jewels and it is especially important to avoid flashy and overly conspicuous accessories.
Attitudes towards others, the words used, and the way things are said are also important in maintaining one's image. They can give a manager a tyrannical and demotivating character for their collaborators or, conversely, an encouraging and constructive one.
Cultivating one's image is, in a way, gaining charisma. Everything can hinge on a glance or gesture. Some managers know better than anyone how to win over an audience. "Often, during press conferences, some managers have the unfortunate tendency to fix their PowerPoint presentation on the screen or glance briefly at the audience. This is because they hide strong shyness or don't know how to behave with their audience," notes Malgorzata Saadani. To captivate your audience, you need to scan the room step by step and linger on a face. A shifty or aggressive gaze will only alienate your audience. The body must also remain in harmony with the speech.
Working on your image also requires eliminating differences in status to emphasize proximity and mobilize people. It means abolishing protocols that paralyze. Image is not linked to function. "Often, my collaborators called me by my job title. However, this bothers me, especially with people older than me. I immediately broke down this barrier. I simply asked them to call me by my first name. For me, it's a way of being on the same level as everyone else," emphasizes the purchasing director of a major local company.
Finally, the manager must ensure that the values and rules in force in the company are respected, as well as a certain savoir-faire. To gain the support of collaborators, it is best to be able to establish rules collectively, which is not always possible. If they are imposed, the manager must explain their reason for being, their purpose, to allow everyone to understand them. They must also lead by example, being the first to follow the rules they impose, at the risk of completely discrediting themselves.
Training yields tangible results, but not immediately
More and more, personal development training sessions offer courses focused on behavioral techniques. And while these trainings never mention "image" in their titles, they come very close. At Deo Compétences, for example, there are tailor-made programs for top managers. They work on oral expression, priority management, and charisma. The two-day module informs participants about their strengths and weaknesses in terms of self-image.
IS Force, a training institute, also offers media training modules designed to improve persuasion skills.
Today, more and more senior executives attend such training courses or seek image consultants, a profession that is beginning to establish itself. This is the case of Adil Talbi, division director at a multinational company, who, following a coaching program, had to work on his charisma to better communicate with his team. "Often, we don't know the image we really project to our team. This exercise allowed me to know myself better but also to know how my collaborators perceive me," he emphasizes. However, the results cannot be seen immediately.
Posted online on October 4, 2010
Lavieeco.com
