Do People Have A Perception of You That You Are Proud Of?

Companies invest a fortune in their brands. Why do they do this? Because they know and understand that the brand is not a tangible thing, but rather, it is a mental construct that exists purely in the minds of its consumers.

What companies invest their marketing dollar in is the opportunity to build a perception that their brand is:

a) superior to its competition

b) differentiated in some beneficial way and

c) is the most desirous product of its kind on the shelf.

People-brands, just like consumer brands, take time and investment to establish in the minds of the people around them.

Do the people around you - whether at work or socially - have a perception of you that you are proud of? And if not, why not?

Your personal brand is a vital part of your armoury. And you have the power to create a phenomenally powerful personal brand if you choose to.

What is important to note is that it is not neccesarily what you think you are projecting, but what the people around you see and experience of you for themselves that matters.

Here are some questions to help you:

1. How do you want people to regard you? As a strong decision maker? An office gossip? A solution-orientated thinker? A strategic visionary? A dictator? What you say is only part of the story... your actions say much, much more to the people around you.

2. So decide on the actions that are needed to support you. You may need to change some behaviours if the image people have of you is not the one you want.

3. Review your consistency. None of us would buy Coca Cola if every time we bought a can it tasted different. Consistency matters.

Be really honest about how your emotions; moods; or day of the week might affect your consistency. Being inconsistent will make the people around you feel uneasy, which is not a positive feeling to instill in others.

- RW

You Said WHAT? Tips to Overcome Limiting Self Talk

We all suffer from limiting self-talk from time to time.

The difference between people who are successful, and those who are not, is that successful people acknowledge their 'inner gremlins' almost immediately and shout them down before they've had the chance to flex their muscles and gain any momentum.

This month's self-sabotaging self-talk is:

"I'm not old enough to be taken seriously."

Age, like many things, is relative. Whilst some people see themselves as too young, others see themselves as too old. Or too fat. Or too intelligent. Or not having enough education. Or not being good enough...

The list is endless.

One thing is certain: if you run a belief like this it will continually hold you back. Well, at least until you're old enough not to have to worry about it any more :)

But life's there for the taking and so simply biding time to get to the 'right' age (whatever that may be) could mean wasting a lifetime.

Consider this. How old do you have to be to be 'taken seriously'?

Consider this. Are there fabulously successful, wealthy, happy people who are in fact very young?

As with many limiting decisions we make, this kind of belief focuses on what we feel we are lacking.

Which is completely unhelpful.

So let's focus on what you do have to be taken seriously. What skills, attributes, attitudes, behaviours do you have in your arsenal of tools that will help you to be taken completely seriously?

Once you know, go and put all your energies into those skills and act the age you want other people to regard you as.

- RW

Raise Your Profile - Connect with Connectors!

They say it's not what you know, but who you know.

The reality is, you need both! However the kinds of people you choose to socialise with, both personally and professionally, can have a profound effect on you and your opportunities - both from a detrimental stand point and a hugely positive one.

Ideal people to know are 'Connectors'. These people know people. But more importantly, the most effective ones also like people.

So why is that so important?

If you take a genuine interest in people, it naturally attracts more people to you: people like being in your company because they feel wanted and special.

So seeking Connectors who just know a lot of people isn't enough. You need to seek Connectors whose 'following' really like being around that individual.

So what can Connectors like this do for you?

Well firstly they'll be interested in you and what you want to achieve. Which is always nice! Secondly they'll do what they can to help (if they like you) and thirdly, opportunities will flow because people will be keen to help you... as ultimately, their actions will help out their Connector too.

Take action now and think about the Connectors you have around you!

- RW

Why Pride is Vital to Success

What does 'pride' mean to you? For me, 'pride' can be summed up by the All Blacks rugby team performing The Haka at the start of a match. It always sends chills down my spine.

There is a yearning. A mad passion. A fever that runs through their veins.

The eyes of every single player in that line up burns with a pride for their sport, their country and themselves as individuals. It's not every day that you are able to represent your nation, after all.

In my view, there isn't enough pride in the world. Outwardly at least.

What is it about human beings that makes us so quick to deride our talents, contribution and value?

If you'd like a surge of pride ripping through your veins here are a couple of tips:

1. Write down every instance that you can remember when someone important to you (friend, family, manager, colleague) complimented you or your work.

2. Think about instances when you were really proud of yourself and write them down. Perhaps...

- You over-delivered on a project at work.
- It was the day your child was born.
- You got a promotion.
- You showed tremendous courage.
- Perhaps you made a difference to someone else's life.
- Maybe you tried something new....

Pride is a phenomenally powerful feeling. And powerful positive feelings help us behave at our most resourceful and achieve our best outcomes.

And the key to pride is to have goals to aim for so that when you achieve them you have something to be proud about.

Take action today, in the next 24 hours, and think about the two tasks above. You'll be amazed at what you come up with!

- RW

How to Have Your Voice Heard in Meetings

Isn’t it interesting how, when many people are in meetings, they shut down and yet in social situations, they are able to chat away about any topic brought to the table?

I have found, over many years of coaching clients to get ahead in their careers, that three little voices, that pop up in our heads, are the main causes of this fear. I think these thoughts can be summed up here:

- ‘What if… I say something stupid?’
- ‘What if… I say the wrong thing?’
- ‘What if… people think I’m an idiot?’

The reality is, no-one in any meeting will ever have the absolute truth to offer up. Because truth does not exist. All any of us has in a meeting is an opinion.

Even when it comes to statistics (apparently factual, black and white data), two people can skew the numbers to suit their own perspectives and support their points - and therefore have different opinions.

So if you struggle to voice your opinion in meetings, here are some tips to help you make a solid first impression:

1. Spend time thinking about the meeting. Consider the agenda. Who will be there and what might their agendas might be? Think about areas where you are already knowledgeable. Think about the questions you might ask. The stats or facts you could offer.

2. Assess where the Energy Centre is. What on earth am I banging on about, ‘energy centre‘?? There are always people in a room where the energy naturally gravitates. Who are they? Is it the CEO? A client? A Partner? Sit near them. The conversation will naturally centre around them and it is much easier to add your opinion if you are nearby than from the other end of a 12-seater table.

3. Make a point early in the conversation and lean forwards as you speak. It will give your point some added weight and naturally bring you into the conversation.

4. The most important tip of all is: to start. The longer you allow your voice to go unheard in meetings, the harder it will be to build credibility in the group.

If you’d like some help to increase your confidence in meeting environments, speak to Rebecca.

A Simple Tip to Influence Those Around You

I went to a fantastic networking event this morning hosted by Kim McGuinness (Network Central). One of the speakers, Mariette Rups Donnelly, was presenting on the topic of 'presence'.



What an interesting subject this is! To get ahead we must each be seen and heard and of course, there are good ways and not so good ways to achieve this.

Many women whom I coach express concern that 'presence' could be misconstrued by others as downright 'arrogance' - certainly this extreme way of being seen is something most people would wish to avoid.

There are a number of techniques to help you establish greater presence in your meetings, with your clients, and around people 'who matter' - and I'd love to share one of Mariette's today.

Mariette explained that to have presence requires you to be present.

This is simple yet highly thought provoking.

Being present implies you are behaving actively. You are consciously making the effort to connect with the people around you and listening (not just hearing) what they have to say.

To raise your profile, a simple action you could take is to work on living in the moment. And giving your full attention.

And one thing that I have certainly learnt: it is much easier to share your view and be heard once your counterpart genuinely feels that you have listened to all they have to say first!

What are your experiences?

- RW

Do You Feel Intimidated By Confident Women?

An illuminating psychological study, conducted by child behaviouralist Deborah Tannen, revealed some noticeable differences between young girls and boys. In summary, the research found that little boys tend to regard confident, alpha boys as ‘leaders’ whereas little girls tend to see confident, alpha girls as ‘bossy’.

Isn’t that a fascinating perceptual difference?

‘Confidence’ to boys is seen as a strength; being self-assertive is a skill to aspire to have. Girls, on the other hand, seem to find confidence in their own kind a real turn off and, from what this research implies, a negative way to be perceived by others.

The media continues to be saturated with comment about blatant gender imbalance in the workplace. You have probably seen some of the statistics: at senior management level women represent only 30% of roles in Australia; women hold fewer than 5% of senior executive positions; across the board, women earn 18% less than men...

The blame is often placed on ‘antiquated organisational structures’ and the view that ‘men only promote other men'.

Could it be possible however, that this imbalance is partly due to the fact that women halt their own progression for fear of what other people, particularly other women, might think of them?

If any of this rings true, here are some tips to overcome this perceived obstacle:

1. Acknowledge that there is a big difference between ‘assertion’ and ‘arrogance’ - when we are confident in an assertive way, we demonstrate leadership. We take charge whilst taking other people into account. People who behave with arrogance make poor leaders. They trample over others and in turn alienate them. Note: arrogance is often an indication that the individual is struggling internally with a lack of confidence.

2. It is essential to be authentic and find a tone of voice that best suits you and your personal brand. If you want to find out more about 'personal branding' join us on our teleseminars and workshops!

3. Seek out the strengths of your work first, before scouring it for weaknesses. All too often we women pinpoint the one thing that is out of place, rather than acknowledging all the 534 things that are not!

4. Avoid mind-reading at all costs... unless you ask, you won't know for sure what anyone else thinks of you.


If we women assert ourselves, actively self-promote our value and behave with a confident air we will inadvertently win the respect of others.

For surely, the real reason why so many little girls, and grown women alike, sneer at the confident women around them, is because they secretly wish they could have the nerve to act that confidently themselves.

What are your thoughts?

- RW