Improve your image one habit at a time
Sometimes we pick up poor habits from others around us. We might even have had someone ask if it’s okay to correct our grammar or spelling (these are either teachers or good friends who have our best interest at heart). Either way small changes in our everyday habits can subtly shift the perception others have of us toward a more positive image. And who wouldn’t want that?
Consider your own behaviour in these rather random examples. Then develop new habits wherever you consider it worth the effort for your professional image.
Don’t apologize for being an inexperienced speaker.
You were invited to the podium because you have something to share that the audience wants to hear. Be yourself. And be prepared.
But don’t apologize. If you’d like a quick tip on how to prepare yourself for any presentation, even one where you were just invited to come up to the front and “say a few words,” please email me with “Please send me your
3X3 Speaking Tips” in the subject line.
Use descriptive Subject lines. An email is similar to a business letter. It’s best to say the topic of the email in the subject line, just as you would in the Re: line of a business letter. For example: “Following up on our last meeting” or “Two questions on your proposal” or “Project Details as promised.” Forget about “Hi” as a subject line. You can add that to your salutation if you wish but please use that precious Subject line for meaningful communication instead.
Tell them why you called. When I hear a voice mail that just says, “Call me back”, I’m not sure if it’s urgent, if I’ll lose a friend if I don’t or whether to just ignore it until the caller calls again. If you go to the trouble to leave a voice mail (which takes some time to retrieve), please be specific about what’s on your mind so your contact can prepare before calling you back.
If you’ve called a mobile phone number, you might just text your message instead of leaving a voicemail. All of this depends, of course on your contact’s preferred communication method. Get to the point.
I’m sometimes criticized for not taking time for pleasantries in my texts, emails and phone calls. My personality profile definitely points more heavily to being task-oriented rather than peopleoriented even though many people might think of me as a kind, thoughtful person because I’m curious about them, I attempt to add real value with each interaction and I love to hug people.
So if I answer the phone (which shows me right away who is calling if the caller is in my contact list), and I start right in with a continuation of our last discussion, and you feel like I’m being a bit abrupt, please forgive me. I won’t take it personally if you say “How about just a Hello, How Are You? Eh?”.
Be more precise in your grammar.
One of the most common grammatical mistakes I hear is the incorrect use of pronouns. I, you, he, she, we, they and it are the subjective pronouns as in “She and I went to a networking event” where she and I are the subjects of the sentence. Me, you, him, her, us, them and it are the objects and thus the objective pronouns, as in “Thank you for inviting her and me to the next event.” Note that you and it are the same in both cases.
It is common to hear the two cases of pronouns used in the same phrase as in “Her and I went for lunch” or “She and him got engaged.”
To check yourself, simply try each of the pronouns separately with the same remainder of the sentence and you’ll see immediately the problem. “She got engaged” works but “Him got engaged” does not. “I went for lunch” but “Her went for lunch”? So let’s check ourselves on our use of pronouns. She, he, you and I will certainly improve our personal image with him, her and them.
Little things mean a lot.
What are some of your pet peeves?
Email them to me and I might include some of yours in an upcoming column.
Mary Lou Gutscher is a success mentor for entrepreneurs, author, and professional speaker who resides in Penticton. To contact the writer, email: MaryLou@ MagneticBusinessSolutions.com