Time Zero in your Image Journey
Apart from those highly transactional, agenda-driven meetings (you’ll know what I mean!), no two gatherings of people are the same. Your exploration makes our work on change and image matters so exciting.
Our recent workshops and conversations have highlighted the themes we have been tracking at Image Ability. These regular snapshots help us track what our customers struggle with most of all and how we can help them look forward.
They say a picture that says more than a thousand words – and this one below is no different.
The bar chart illustrates the wide range of concerns that emerge when managing the diversity of how we perceive ourselves – and how the world perceives us.
It ranks peoples’ challenges: more significantly, those in red tend to be the most uncomfortable – they are the ones that ‘burn’ and result in a lack of confidence and, often, self-respect. Yet, these are precisely the challenges that tend to steer our problem-solving and help towards personalised opportunities for improvement.
Image building is about mindset, communication, behaviour and appearance. And the fact is that, by not practising the whole of what you present to the world, you’ll put a brake on your personal development without even realising it. This also means you will spend time, precious energy and money on the wrong things. This is simply because of a need for clarity of what ‘image’ actually means for you, instead of what you may think that assertiveness training, generic coaching, or dressing up might achieve!
Lack of awareness, an in-depth understanding of your inner assets, not knowing how to design an image strategy or having no access to practical tools often leads to retail therapy – yes, you know what I mean! Unfortunately, this is primarily unproductive, not fun, and can be very costly. Worse, once the adrenaline rush has passed and reality sets in, you realise that you are back where you first started.
So, back to the graph: the red bars show those concerns that need to be dealt with first in your EXPLORE step, your Time Zero. They might take a while to deal with – but this is the only way to get you re-pointing towards your new goals. Once you decide to be serious about your image, there is nothing wrong with having different jumping-off points and speeds of implementation. The main thing is to get on that path towards change and start the ride.
This simple graph communicates that you cannot simply run before you walk.
Image is a mental construct – it influences and drives our lives, irrespective of where we live, our seniority, or the industry in which we operate.
Your image ride is fast approaching, don’t miss it! And remember that it will only start moving when you start exploring. Hop on board!
Visit our Image Ability store and learn more about how we can help.