The language of communication through gesture, expression and behaviour is far more persuasive than any spoken language.

As you come to know your ‘self’ and your Ikigai, you gradually grow comfortable in your skin. Your congruence translates into confidence, and you shine inside out. You attract, You influence, You match, and You build rapport. You may expect these to happen almost like Domino Effect as your mind, body, energy and emotion, being part of the same cybernetic system, start falling into place.

All you need now is to keep finessing your grace to make a lasting impression in the eyes and mind of others.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a person’s Image?

A person’s Image is a collection of external messages that he communicates through his appearance, actions, speech, and lifestyle about his inner selves. A person’s Image is also public perception of his identity. While it is only an illusion, their perception is their reality. Humans are hard-wired by their evolutionary history to perform instant assessments of other people’s personalities, temperaments, and intentions. Therefore, there is no way to avoid projecting an Image or being judged by others by the way we project our Image in the real world.

So, it is essential to explore what is your Image saying about you, and is that what you want it to say?

 

How we manage our Image?

How we choose to manage our Image depends on how we want to present ourselves in the world. Our appearance projects or reflects your values, personality, attitudes, interests, roles, and often our goals. Our Image is a mental picture of the way we are perceived or typified. Vivid or subtle elements in our dressing, grooming, or body language serve as semiotic cues towards forming impression in others’ minds. Therefore, when these elements are in sync with who we are, authentic to our self; appropriate for our roles and occasion, complement our style, our Image is congruent and effectively reflect our personality inside out.

 

First Impression is the Last Impression – A Myth or a Truth?

“A good first impression can work wonders” – J.K. Rowling.

From the scientific point of view, our brain is a thousand years old structure. Though we evolved as homo sapiens through increased use of our brain capacity, we inherited many reactions from our ancestors, like the one that allows our brain to recognise another human as a threat or friend in a few milliseconds. Thus, the first impression can play a pivotal role in how a person perceives you or continues to perceive you in the future.

To say that the first impression is the last would perhaps be an exaggeration. One can make strong efforts and invest a reasonable amount of time correcting the mistake that they made in the first place. Yet, it is best that a person takes much caution and emphasises making the first impression proper and positive.

 

How to create a winning first impression?

We have just a few seconds to make an impressive first impression. Following the below steps, we can enjoy the fruit of our effort:

1. Do your homework on who you are meeting and prepare talking points
2. Be on time.
3. Present yourself appropriately.
4. Maintain your posture.
5. Wear a genuine smile.
6. Be yourself and be positive.
7. Be open, confident and courteous.
8. Engage as a human and be a good listener.
9. End the meeting on a positive note
10. Follow up.

How good etiquette helps to create a good impression? 

“Good manners reflect something from inside – an innate sense of consideration for others and respect for self.” – Emily Post.

Good communication is a crucial component to create a good impression, and proper etiquette can play a huge part in successful communication. Whether we are talking to a friend, speaking in class, trying to land a job at an interview, or giving a presentation in the workplace, the proper etiquette helps us to communicate effectively and allows us to build rapport.

 

How should you dress to impress? 

Whether we like it or not, how we dress affects how others perceive us.

“The way we dress affects the way we think, the way we feel, the way we act & the way others react to us.” – Judith Rasband.

The most fundamental rule for dressing is knowing your style and recognising its possibilities and limitations. It is vital to adopt a simple, tasteful, and elegant model that accentuates our character and personality. Therefore the strategy should be to dress comfortably yet appropriately according to the occasion we are attending. Once we understand what our clothing communicates, we can choose to display visual authority, confidence, competence and credibility. Just be aware that our dress functions much like a second skin—an intimate environment that we are incredibly sensitive about.

To put this in context, a dress code formats for an interview,

                                                      Interview dress for men                                                               Interview dress for women

 

Why some successful people wear the same outfit every day?

There’s an intelligent strategy behind it. Successful individuals like Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, and Albert Einstein understood that less time spent on making decisions meant more brainpower and time for everything else.

For most of his time in office, former President Barack Obama would wear either a blue or grey suit. In a Vanity Vair interview, Obama explained,

“I’m trying to pare down decisions. I don’t want to make decisions about what I’m eating or wearing because I have too many other decisions to make.”

Thus, many great leaders from different walks of life chose to simplify curating their Image to concentrate on the big picture. Their Image either reflected their purpose or pronounced their deeper identity.