We live in a in an extremely visual culture. In fact, 80% of people remember what they see, compared to ten percent what they hear and twenty percent of what they read. Your image matters because YOU are your own personal brand. Knowingly or unknowingly you project a persona – your personal brand. Regardless of your profession, business, or status, your image speaks volumes before you ever say a word. For example, when we see someone in a uniform, or a lab coat, we naturally draw conclusions based on our own values and perceptions about the person in that uniform.
Your visual presence is vital to your personal brand. A professional presence is defined as the ability to project a sense of ease, trust, poise, or self-assurance, especially the quality or manner of a person’s bearing, before an audience. In other words, are you influencing, standing out or inspiring those around you? Whether that audience is one or one hundred, cultivating this skill is one every leader must work on.
Are you sending the message you think? Do you inspire confidence and trust? How do you know if you have professional presence when it centers on how others perceive you. It can be challenging to know whether you have it or not. Here are some areas to consider as indicators you might need to up your game.
Leaders are known for their calm, cool and collected behavior. If you seem flustered or impatient under pressure you could lose trust. Composure is key for leaders and implied with controlled body movements like posture and hand gestures.
Sometimes less is better when it comes to communicating. Be sure you are clearly communicating and not rambling. Are you listening and asking engaging questions?
Most importantly, people subconsciously make decisions about you based on your appearance. Be sure yours is delivering the message you want. Not sure? Ask trusted colleagues or mentors for feedback. Make sure your image (including your profile pictures online) is up to date. There’s nothing more surprising than meeting someone after you have seen a photo either on their social media profile or website that are vastly different.
Investing in strategies to improve your personal brand and public image is crucial not only to your business, but personal growth. What does your presence, both online and off say about you or your company? At the end of the day, it’s about connection, are you inspiring others to connect with you?
