How can have an image that is professional and know what is expected and respected in the environment you are in?Your professional presence includes three things – your visual image (dress), your appropriate behaviors (business etiquette) and your social savvy (communicating effectively internally and externally to build a powerful network).As for dress – the simple answer is to dress for your clients…in a way that shows yo...

At a recent communications conference, the speaker asked how many of the attendees used BlackBerries? Hands shot up. “How many of you use Twitter?” came the next question. “How about FaceBook?” Again hands – at least every other person’s – waved in the air.Obviously, the audience had become adept in social networking and the associated electronics. But, then came the question, “How many of you communicate effectively?”T...

If you had only seconds to tell someone about yourself, you'd give what's called an "elevator speech" -- because it's brief enough to deliver on an elevator ride. A well-written (and memorized) elevator speech is an invaluable tool because:• It describes what you do, for whom and how they benefit.• It allows you to introduce yourself, quickly and efficiently.• It emphasizes the Wow! Factors you bring to the table.• It can o...

I took time at the office over the holidays to clean out dead files, straighten things up and get organized. Along with all that stuff, I've reflected on what's in store in this new year for me and my business.Okay, it's 2010...a new year, a clean slate. You've probably resolved to get rid of some of your old habits just like me...and are ready to break in new ones. So, it's the perfect time to tap into one of your most pow...

Networking is essential to advertising your personal brand – and, as you may realize, networking is sort of like power walking. If you wear light workout clothing and athletic shoes made for the terrain you walk, you almost glide down the track or path. If you strap on leg weights, step into steel-toed boots and pile on heavy coats, you’ll cover less ground and add time to your walk.Here’s how to avoid moving in slow motion...

Want to become more productive? Want to be more productive not just today but every day? Then first, you gotta eat the frog.Mark Twain said it – if you eat a frog first thing in the morning that will probably be the worst thing you’ll do all day. Okay – we don’t mean literally eating one of those little green toads from the garden.Actually they’re too valuable to eat. But what we do mean is starting your day by tacking that...

Habits are easy things to get into – the good, the bad and the ugly. For all of us in these difficult economic times, one particularly critical habit to embrace is “proactivity.”Proactivity is the power, freedom and ability to choose the way we respond to whatever happens – around us and to us - based on our values. As we make these choices, we can be a thermostat or a thermometer.As a thermostat, our choice can either rais...

People notice more about you than you might think. One of my favorite clients shared, recently, that she was so appreciative of having a boss who walked his talk and was a leader everyone respected and enjoyed working for. “It’s the little things people notice and appreciate about him,” she explained.That conversation led me to think about some of the “little things” we can all do that reflect professionalism. Here are a fe...

If you think you’ll get ahead, simply by just working hard, think again. If you have a job, you have a responsibility to do the work, but you simply must be more than that. If you’re looking for a job, you must set yourself apart to be distinctive in the minds of those who can influence your career. Think of it as creating a brand for “You, Inc.” Consider a strong company brand that’s familiar – like Starbucks, Disney, BMW...