By Robert Lentz
Business Management Daily
WWR Article Summary (tl;dr) 9 interesting tips on how to present yourself as a strong and confident woman in the workplace. I found one tip particularly interesting…. “when making a presentation set yourself a rule: Don’t bring in any visuals whatsoever until you’re at least 20 percent into a speech. Make them see that you’re the featured presentation, not words and graphs on a screen.” For more tips….read on.
Business Management Daily
Ready to become a slightly different person than the one who walked in the door this morning? Let’s go from head to toe, stem to stern, and give you a nine-point leadership tuneup to shape your image into something a little more impactful than the job title etched on your door.
YOUR VOICE
Chances are you’re not entirely aware of the vocal patterns that define you and stick in people’s minds when you speak. For one week, use your smartphone to record some rambling thoughts at the end of the day about how the day went. Listen to your compilation and you may be struck by tendencies you never realized you had.
YOUR CLOTHES
No one knows quite how to feel about the boss who dresses completely unlike everyone else; some think such style is too quirky, too strange. A safer but still intriguing bet is to follow the herd while adding a single flourish to your look to make them remember you. A unique pin, a bold tie, a watch of unusual manufacture, these stick in the memory.
YOUR SIGNOFF
Consider ditching the clever tagline you append to your email signature. Those you write to often are sick of looking at it; others may think you’re trying too hard to brand yourself. And if you tend to change it a lot, people will start to wonder just how obsessed you are with trying to seem clever.
YOUR SHOW
Don’t be like everyone else and serve as a weak servant to your PowerPoint slides. Set yourself a rule: Don’t bring in any visuals whatsoever until you’re at least 20 percent into a speech. Make them see that you’re the featured presentation, not words and graphs on a screen.
YOUR SCHMOOZING
Be strong with your greetings to strangers. Memorize a simple opening line for yourself that demands detail so that the conversation flows immediately. For example, try “Where’d you come from to be here today?” and when you get the answer, follow up with a very specific question about that place, like “When I go there, what do I need to see?”
YOUR CRED
Always have a failure story in your back pocket to inspire and amuse. A true tale of personal misadventure lends you humility, displays a sense of humor, tells people you learn from your mistakes, and exudes honesty.
YOUR PRESENCE
Well whaddya know, everyone’s got their cellphones out just before the meeting starts, yakking away. We’re entering an era when being without it will actually make you seem more present, more aware, more engaged than other people. Get a head start now and show the group you’re here, attentive and determined, not falling behind on your emails.
YOUR WALK
If you’re not in a hurry, try a genuine amble once in a while, strolling down the hallway like you’re genuinely interested in the sights and sounds of the office. The slower you mosey, the more you seem in control, confident that things are working in your favor, like your fires have all been put out and you’re on top of your game.
YOUR HEAD!
Think how many times people on the Web are seeing your main professional picture. Now stare at it for a while. Is this the real you? Is this the image you want people to take away? Do you look like just another grinning figurehead _ or someone who’s authentic, modern and in the driver’s seat?
