These days being great at what you do is not enough. You might be a wonderful parent, be very successful in your career, or a superb a cook. You also need to have a good attitude that emits a spark. This is a quality that's become imperative to all of us. Even the most discerning no longer consider a university degree, or academic skills enough. There has to be a strong, positive personality - combined with sufficient experience/qualifications. Most important is to know how to be a people-person. This means having a high level of EQ (Emotional Intelligence), an ability to communicate in an authentic manner. Also, empathise & behave compassionately. It's important to include being attired appropriately. Yes, how we dress can have a very positive effect on our self esteem, confidence and how we come across.
So many individuals underestimate the significance of their attire, grooming and accessories. Each item when chosen with care & attention to detail, contributes to enabling our personality to shine brighter. We can learn important lessons when we fail to present ourselves in an inviting manner. By inviting I mean a welcoming demeanour. This begins with a smile, a decent handshake, head held high & asking good questions. A good question is about asking something that further enhances your desire to achieve your goal. For instance, if your goal is to find employment, asking questions about the business will convey real interest. But ensure your questions are not too generic/run of the mill. In fact, be a little unpredictable!
It's the ability to engage, build rapport & be of real interest that really counts in life these days. So often we leave the real us at home. It's as if we have two versions of us. And one of those versions seems to be reserved for business. Apart for the fact this is an exhausting pressure we put on ourselves - it disables the authentic us to emerge. Our authenticity is about being true to ourselves, but with the desire to decide how much truth we want to exude. Not saying omit some truths, am saying be super conscious about you want people to know about you. Important to remember, when we are seen to be making the effort, we are often rewarded in very surprising ways.
Rewards come in different shapes & sizes. So a reward could be being offered a beverage, while waiting to be seen. Or perhaps being recommended, maybe being provided with some helpful feedback. When someone goes out of their way to convey any kindness or thoughtfulness, don't let it go unnoticed. Even a polite thank you is enough. For some, having a good attitude is challenging. Although I understand that, by practising having an improved attitude for just 30 days, our attitude improvement becomes sticky. Consider having achieved placing another piece of the jigsaw puzzle into the appropriate space. When our reputation is something we care about, in order for it to be improved & maintained we must ensure we protect it. By protect, I mean ensure you're on the alert as to how others talk about you.
By upping your game regarding your attitude - you'll become a magnet for the kind of people you want to attract. In addition, you'll feel much more at ease with strangers & those you aren't normally drawn to. That's not to say that all your social interactions will be perfect, but they will certainly improve. Moreover, you will have a much improved relationship with yourself. Finally, remember it's your attitude that will have a positive or negative effect on your altitude.
Some tips:
- Trust yourself
- Endeavour to be more authentic
- Let your knowledge/experience shine
- Allow intuition to play a part in decision making
- Be more flexible and open