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Feb 29, 2008 · What kind of an expert does a leader have to be? That question has popped up in a couple of recent HBR articles and the role of expertise is lurking somewhere near the center of all kinds of ...
- Overview
- What is a professional image?
- Components of a professional image
- How to develop your professional image
Establishing a strong professional image helps individuals maintain positive workplace relationships and present themselves appropriately. Being mindful of how you dress, speak and behave around others is important when fulfilling your daily duties or when trying to advance into a new role. Learning more about what a professional image is and under...
A professional image describes the way a person conducts themselves at work and in other professional settings. It also involves the attitude they use at work and how others perceive them. People often strive for a professional image that aligns with the expectations of their particular workplace or industry, as it can help individuals influence de...
Your professional image consists of four key components. Understanding these components and their role in your professional image can help you when making any assessments about how you present yourself at work. These four components are:
•Communication style: Your conversation habits and the language you choose are both part of your professional image. This refers to how you speak about yourself, others and your work and the tone and words you use.
•Behavior and attitude: Your mindset towards your work can have a positive or negative impact on your productivity, and others can often sense your attitude based on your behaviors. Taking initiative, addressing responsibility and encouraging others are all behaviors that reflect a professional attitude.
•Nonverbal communication: Nonverbal communication may include your posture, eye contact and hand gestures, all of which can convey your thoughts and emotions in ways in which you may not be conscious, but which can still affect how others perceive you.
•Attire and grooming: How you dress and style yourself for work and other professional gatherings impacts your professional image. Demonstrating attention to your appearance reflects confidence and gives others the impression that you understand your social role in the workplace.
Related: 21 Tips for Being More Professional at Work
1. Be mindful of first impressions
People form first impressions quickly, and these impressions can impact scenarios like job interviews and meetings with new clients. By being mindful of your appearance and conduct in these situations, you can project a more positive professional image. Here are three elements to consider when meeting a new professional contact or entering a new professional situation that can help with first impressions: •Industry conventions: Consider which behaviors and traits are common for a professional image in a certain industry and how you prefer to implement them in your own way. •Workplace image: Think about how other people currently perceive your position at work and whether their impression aligns with your intentions. •Target audience: This refers to the different interactions you have at a workplace, including conversations with colleagues, employers or clients. Related: How To Introduce Yourself Professionally
2. Assess your communication style
To show professionalism when you interact with others, you can use certain verbal and nonverbal techniques. Consider using a clear speech pattern to help you convey your purpose and express accurate information, which others may appreciate if you work on a project together. Depending on your comfort level, it may be helpful to sustain some eye contact and monitor the volume of your voice so you can better align your actions with the tone of a conversation. You can also practice active listening during conversations, meaning you remain engaged when someone is talking and reflect information back to them.You may benefit from reviewing your written communication as well. For example, if others often ask clarifying questions about any emails or messages you send, it may mean that your written communication lacks clarity. Considering how others may interpret your message can help you identify if your written communication lacks important information.Read more: Guide to the 7 C's of Communication
3. Consider what your clothes reflect about you
While it’s important to dress within your means, consider whether your everyday attire meets both written and unwritten rules about clothing in your workplace.. Written rules may be guidelines in an employee handbook, while unwritten rules may include the size, color or style of accessories and statement pieces. You can get a sense of unwritten rules by observing your colleagues and noting similarities in their dress styles. Once you understand these guidelines, implementing style choices you enjoy can increase your confidence, which may help you perform your job responsibilities successfully.If possible, reduce the number of wrinkles in your clothing and hem any tears you find in the fabric. Keeping your attire neat helps extend its life, and it shows that you care about your role and what others think of you. Related: Guide To Business Attire (With Examples)
People also ask
How can impression management create a positive professional image?
What is a professional image?
What is perceived professional image?
Why is a professional image important?
Jun 20, 2005 · A: In order to create a positive professional image, impression management must effectively accomplish two tasks: build credibility and maintain authenticity. When you present yourself in a manner that is both true to self and valued and believed by others, impression management can yield a host of favorable outcomes for you, your team, and ...
- Know your material. Before you can convince anyone else, you need to be completely sold on your idea or product. It’s important that you know the points you are making, inside and out.
- Be enthusiastic. Believe me, vibes matter. No one wants to hear you drone on about a subject you don’t care for. If you’re tired and bored of your own presentation, your audience is probably feeling the same way.
- Arrive early to set up. One of the things that can mess up your business presentation is not being familiar with the space you’ll be speaking in. Make sure you arrive at your venue at least an hour in advance.
- Be comfortable with your own self. You’ve prepped well, you know your stuff inside-out and your visual aids are ready. The next big questions are: What should you wear?
Dec 28, 2017 · By Laura Bruce. Over your career, you develop expertise. But is your expertise recognized? You won’t gain the recognition you deserve until you demonstrate what you know in a compelling way. One of the best vehicles is an impressive presentation where you communicate your knowledge. Image: Pixabay. Creating Your Content.
Jan 6, 2020 · Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired ...
Jun 13, 2020 · The 3 Key Elements of a Professional Image. Appearance What you wear and how you look matters, appearance is the first thing that people will judge you on. Remember, your online image is as ...
