The 2009 90 day Challenge 6
by Bruce Wade on 18/11/09 at 9:18 am
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With only 40 days left in 2009 we look at the sixth of the 90 day challenge projects; Personal Presentation. The rule is to always dress for the occasion putting your personal preference second. But rules are only there to be broken, especially by us who live in Cape Town. We feel that we can dress like we want when we want. Fred even wears his flower shirt on TV.
But personal presentation is more than dress code; it involves the whole body, attitude and mental space. I have become a master at reading people and watching them as they walk into a room, talk to others and present themselves to their markets. Here are some tips to take into consideration as we do business with others.
- Stand up and smile when speaking to important people on the phone, they can hear it.
- Practice your introductions at least 10 times before you enter the room
- Have your business cards and other deliverable documents ready to hand out without having to scratch in pockets and bags.
- Stand tall, shoulders back, chest out and legs together, it delivers well and reflects in your voice.
- Keep hands out of pockets, pants, bra strap and hair. Please!
- Shake hands firmly. No slimy wet, limp hands and do not squeeze to show you went to the gym. We do not care; it just hurts.
- Talk about others before you speak about yourself
- Again, listen before you speak, this is not only polite but gives you the edge in understanding the game before you begin to play.
- Never start a sentence with sorry, even if you have screwed up, explain the results not the circumstances.
- Smile. Wear socks with formal shoes. No white socks. Cover up the cleavage, it distracts us all. Always call back and arrive on time.
Fun stuff to try out over the next ten days then we chat about personal and business networking.
Bruce Wade is a survivor of the corporate and NGO world, author, speaker, business owner and entrepreneur, Bruce now runs the Entrepreneur Incubator; a member based organisation dedicated to serving those in the trenches of business through coaching, mentoring and leadership education. View more articles by Bruce Wade.
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