Page 158 - ConvinceThemFlip

convince them in 90 seconds or less
Approachable,
or Authoritative?
I’ve shot thousands of fashion ads for major fashion retail-
ers, and we frequently discussed the look we wanted to
achieve in terms of whether it was going to be authorita-
tive, approachable, or somewhere in between. These are
the North and South Poles of first impressions. Building a
professional identity to project a strong first impression
must take into account these same boundaries.
Somewhere between the two extremes of approach-
able and authoritative lies fertile ground where you can
nurture an effective professional style. A professional
style may or may not conform to current fashion, but it
should be an expression of your independence and con-
fidence. Wearing attractive clothes with assurance can
positively influence prospective job offers, help secure
your long-awaited promotion, or make the difference in
landing a multimillion-dollar contract.
Whether you’re just walking into a room to shake
hands with a new colleague or going up to a podium in
front of your entire company, what people see first, as you
know, is your attitude. What they see immediately after
that is how you put yourself together, your style. (And of
course, these two are not separate entities. Your attitude
affects your style.)
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