Do You Present Yourself Effectively?

Presence is expressed in the way you communicate, the way you enter a room, fill your seat at the table, your voice, your dress, and your posture.  The way all these things appear to others sends a message about you - how confident you are, your energy, your self-regard and self-esteem, your approachability and whether you show up as a good person to know.  To project a clear story, all these messages your appearance conveys must hang together congruently. Here are some important ingredients to consider when addressing congruency in your professional presence.

Know your authentic style. We each have a unique style all our own. According to Danielle LaPorte and Carrie McCarthy who wrote the book Style Statement: Live by Your Own Design, awareness of your own style helps you make more confident choices in life -- from your wardrobe to your relationships, your living room to your career plans. In their process, there are questions you ask yourself to arrive at two words. The first is a word that describes something foundational to your style, such as being refined, natural or traditional, and something that expresses what motivates and distinguishes you, such as dramatic, treasure, or bold. Regardless of your approach to defining your authentic style, the important part is self-inquiry to arrive at a way to express your essential self in every kind of situation.

My authentic style can be summarized in the two words: elegant flair. The foundation is being appropriate, artistic, chic, dignified, graceful, and simple. The flair portion is about my natural talent and ability expressed through mastery, splash, taste, glamour and panache. My awareness assists me with clothing choices and my behavior wherever I go.

Consider the context of the situation. Context always starts with the role you play in a situation. Are you a team member, content expert, project manager, facilitator? What are the norms and expectations at play with others in this situation?  Each opportunity has its own context, which can give you some clues about the impact you wish to make, how to dress, how to enter the room, and how to use your voice to express yourself effectively and authentically.

When I facilitated a board retreat last week, I dressed conservatively to underscore my supportive role and the fact that most of the group was meeting me for the first time. I came in very prepared and deferred to the group leader, since it was her agenda I was there to support. When I stood up to take the lead, I was a combination of warm/welcoming and commanding, since my role was to lend structure to the meeting.

Prepare for the impression you wish to make. What is your goal in this situation? What would success look like for you? What is the anticipated environment in the situation – supportive? Will there be some resistance? These questions help shape your appearance, the volume and tenor of your voice, your posture, and energy as you shape your message.

When I facilitate, I want to communicate my expertise and authority.  I lower my voice an octave or two. If I anticipate resistance, I ensure my energy and facial expressions appear warm and receptive.  Since I want to influence behavior, I am prepared with objectives, agenda, exercises and materials to support the meeting.

If everything I do is congruent with my authentic style, purpose and being, then I know I will generate a powerful professional presence.  How do you go about it? Please reply with an illustrative story.

-Andrea Zintz, Career Coach, President, Strategic Leadership Resources