Image. PR. Perception.
IndyHub.org is a young professionals group here in Indianapolis. I’ve attended a few of their events and intend to continue to attend when I have time and the event catches my attention. Anyway, they recently published Image Management Pays Off by Sola Adelow and Judith Rasband.
From the article:
Make no mistake about it. Image—the way you look or appear—directly affects:
1. The way you think;
2. The way you feel;
3. The way you speak;
4. The way you act or behave, and then
5. The way others react or respond to you.
Image is (to me) the expression of MAP (Mindset, Attitude & Philosophy TM) – what perception do you give someone when you walk in the door?
Anyway, I’m not here to try and write a thesis about image – I’m just starting to get a handle on my image.
My image has recently been all over the place – you can gather a little bit about me from my Facebook, Twitter, Linked-in, Plaxo, SmallerIndiana.com, or any of the myriad of other networking sites that I’m signed up for. Each one portrays something a little different – but most all provide the insight that I just don’t know what I want. If you look at any two they tell a slightly different story. At least until recently. I’m in the process of collecting my online image and bringing it into alignment with my future expectations. My plan is to know what I’m telling the digital world and shape it to better allow me to work my way into and up a corporate ladder. Or at least provide an image that provides peace of mind that I am knowledgeable in my current field (Pharmaceutical Validation).
My digital image will slowly get cleaned up as I have a chance to figure out what I have and what needs to go away and what needs to be maintained.
My physical image will require a little more tailoring and some time in the clean-up process. I’ve already cut my hair – the curls were cute (or at least I thought so) but not conducive to being “respectable”. Plus the hair was getting to be a pain to keep up with. My clothes are starting to see some wear, so it’s soon going to be time to start tossing various items and replacing them. Only instead of going with the institutional polo and khaki that “every” engineer in the wide world of cubes wear. I may fit in dressed like that, but I’ve started to realize that I’m not dressing like the people I want to emulate. I’m going to begin the switch to a more “executive” look – slacks & dress shirt (I may stick with short sleeves for a while…making the total switch from always wearing short sleeves to wearing long sleeves will drive me crazy. But I’m going to slowly make the switch as I have funding available and as my clothing needs replacing.
Minor changes could have a major impact. I’m not certain yet, but I do know that when I don the Bishop’s robes to do my part in the Scottish Rite 31st Degree that I speak and act different as soon as I have it on – so while clothing won’t change who I am it will help to better convey who I want to be.
We’ll see what tomorrow brings, but for now I’m looking to do an overhaul in how the world sees me…so feedback is welcomed. 
1 response so far ↓
1 Sola Adelowo // Nov 21, 2009 at 9:21 pm
Luke,
Cutting your hair was a good-call. You want to look smart and capable–not cute. Also, you’re wise for making the switch slowly. As you’re adding to your wardrobe, look for slacks that are made from wrinkle-free fabric. As for colors, camel is the classic khaki-color. Consider olive as an alternative to camel. Olive is more sophisticated, but it’s still a neutral color. Although long-sleeve dress shirts are more formal than short-sleeve, if you wear a sport jacket then your sleeves are your secret. In the office you can remove your jacket, but wear it for customer meetings and meeting with supervisors or others that can influence your career. If jackets are not your thing, then wear a tie with your short-sleeve dress shirts. Next to a jacket, a tie commands respectable attention.
By the way, thanks for reading the article. Sola
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