CHOOSING A POLISHED PROFESSIONAL IMAGE

The topic of image will not be covered in detail in this book. However, image is very important way to communicate nonverbally in a way that is consistent with your leadership brand values. Image is a brand reinforcement, a way of outwardly reflecting the leader you are on the inside. Wardrobe, grooming, even the state of your office are signals about the inner you; who you are and what you stand for.

As a leader, if you don’t know how to dress, your look is out of sync with your brand. There is no escaping the fact that image matters. We are conditioned as human beings to notice whether someone “fits in” or “stands out,” and if the signal is out of sync with the individual’s position, we tend to believe what we see. Likewise, if the state of your office is out of sync with the leader you want to be, then people are confused and tend to actually believe what they see, not what you say.