magine that a photograph were taken of you every time you met another person during the day. At the end of the day, put together a mental photo album of all of the pictures-what I call your IC or Image Collection. Ask yourself what you "see" with these questions: "Do I come across as articulate, persuasive, and sure of myself? What happens when I meet someone new? And how trustworthy do I appear?

Right now, stop and ask yourself these questions:
 

• What am I doing to present myself as competent in my job?

• How do I take full responsibility to develop my image as a professional?

• How does my presence at work affect others?

• How can I improve my image, confidence, and interpersonal skills?

Remember, the reason why your image is so important is because it distinguishes you from the crowd. Learning ways to be better accepted as a professional is one issue. The other key factor is having an image that gets you respect for who you are as a professional, regardless of your background.

ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY
Your image begins with accepting responsibility for your own development-you owe it to yourself to do a self-evaluation. We need to monitor our image in the same way that computers monitor machinery. Each day at work you're involved in activities-making a presentation, calling a client, or going on a job interview-where your image is put on the line. Each step of the way requires you to check your mental attitude and make sure it matches your outward appearance.

And while your attitude and outside appearance are important, your ultimate goal is to leave other people with a positive mental picture of you as competent in your job. This image is created when you exhibit your strongest attributes. If you see any problems with how you present yourself, here’s how to come off as calm, cool, and in control, independent of how your feel:

Watch the tone. Studies show that a large percentage of communication takes place through inflection and tone of voice. Ending sentences on a high note makes you look weak and not serious, and tagging questions with "Don't you think so?" or "Wouldn't you?" makes you sound unsure of yourself. Talking in a monotone also makes you lose your whole positive image.

Make eye contact. Over half of communication is visual. Avoiding eye contact makes you seem untrustworthy, even if you're just feeling shy. If making eye contact is difficult, look in a mirror when you're on the telephone. Then when you're in front of someone, focus on his or her face, anywhere from the nose to the forehead.

Live on the edge. Some office couches are big and cushy, practically swallowing you up. To look like a professional, sit up straight by positioning yourself toward the front edge of the cushion.

Get the details right. Even if you are dressed in expensive clothes, you can still make a negative impression if your pantyhose are snagged, your shoes need to be polished, or your fingernails are chipped. Overlooking personal details communicates that you're not 100% when it comes to business details, either.

Focus on the other person. Facilitate first meetings with new people by discovering their communication styles rather than focusing on you. If they like to be in charge of a conversation, then be prepared to do most of the listening. With introverted people, you'll need to find ways to help them express themselves. When you're able to make someone else look comfortable, you enhance your image.

Deliver. Nothing erodes your image faster than missed deadlines and sub-par work. The most important currency in the workplace is your ability and willingness to keep your word, no matter what. When you prevent even small slips from undermining your image, it will have a positive effect on your career.

IMAGE-BUILDING PLAN
You've probably heard the phrase, "Plan your work and work your plan." This is true with image building-if you plan how you present yourself to others and then implement that plan, you will see that your efforts will have positive results. Read the following points, formulate a response that will give you helpful insight, and start putting the ideas into practice today.
 

• Define and put in writing your immediate and long-term goals that will enhance your image. I always say that we have to look at ourselves like a product. If we were in the grocery store of life, why would someone pick us up off the shelf? Are we new and improved, repackaged? What can we do to make ourselves even better?

• List the ways your image fits, or perhaps doesn't fit, into your company. This exercise is not about losing your identity; rather, it’s about finding the common denominator.

• Finally, list five qualities or skills you already have that are useful and important to present a positive image. As you start putting this list together, you'll be surprised at how many you have. The goal is to constantly keep the list growing.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
To help us understand how a first impression affects people’s perceptions of others, my company, The Nierenberg Group, in conjunction with New York University’s Management Institute, conducted a national survey to find out. We asked people from across the nation, "What do you think contributes the most to making a favorable first impression?" The results were:

• Being a good listener 37%

• Personal appearance 35%

• Knowing something about the person and mentioning it 14%

• Knowledge of your industry 11%

• Your ability to discuss current events 3%

You may be surprised that listening was chosen as most important, because we usually think of first impressions as visual. Listening is often taken for granted, yet how many people do you know who are good listeners? Think about times you have been interrupted or felt that others did not listen to you, thus making you feel that what you said was unimportant. So, if you are there for other people by being a good listener, think of the impression you will give-it is an exceptional quality to have that helps you to stand out.

It’s important to learn how to market yourself and pay attention to others around you because the first few moments of meeting someone could determine the success of the next several years. Your goal is to look like a diamond-firm, multifaceted, valuable, and someone who gives off a radiant light. When you possess those attributes, you will have a priceless image.