As I reflect on 2013 I am struck by the number of woman who found the Sydney School of Protocol’s, Women In Front programme. They started the journey themselves by deciding — quite bravely — that they needed and wanted change in a part of their lives. Google in virtually every case led them to the Sydney School of Protocol website.
Age, lifestyle and location all merged into one necessity: either they wanted help to further educate themselves for social and family reasons, to improve their social skills to balance academic qualifications or to prepare themselves for the next stage of their career.
Some of these women were already successful in a part of their career, some were relatively new in commerce after finishing their qualifications, some were in the middle of fabulous careers, but then these individuals found barriers.
It might have been cultural where the brilliance of a degree is not matched by social skills in the work place and socially outside work. It might have been the need to prepare for a change in jobs after many years of never having to test themselves with updating their CV and being interviewed and scrutinised in a manner long forgotten about.
Establishing rapport in social and business situations, and sometimes the tricky aspect of both, is a vital part of most people’s lives, but it is rarely listed in the job description and social invitation.
If networking and socialising with friends and colleagues is easy for you, it is unlikely it is something you have ever really thought about. But if it’s not, as it isn’t for many men and women, it can be a source of unease. And depending on your situation being uncomfortable dining with colleagues and networking with potential clients can be career limiting. It seems more women are recognising it as a barrier that can be overcome.
One of our clients last year lives interstate and has taken some time out of the workforce to be home with their small children. She wanted to improve her confidence in social settings for both personal and professional reasons.
“It has been quite a revelation that although I am not a naturally outgoing person there are achievable changes that I can make in my personal presentation that will help me be more self-assured and confident,” she said.
Another client was a successful, experienced, finance industry executive who was going out to develop her own business. She wanted help with her own presentation, style and brand, and wanted to overcome cultural difficulties to soften her dining and personal etiquette when meeting and liaising with clients.
We tailored a series of courses for her to refresh, rejuvenate and polish her communication skills and image, all of which gave her confidence that she had the tools to go with her ambition for her business.
In both these cases, and with other private coaching we conducted through the year, we were impressed by the strength of our clients in coming forward to learn to change and develop new skills to match the natural talent they already had.
Whether you’re looking for that next big job, seeking a promotion, re-entering the workforce or just starting your career – your image and presentation, words and behaviours are going to make all the difference. It’s not just about the degree or qualification you have. It’s about exuding confidence, being credible, looking polished and having emotional intelligence.
These are all skills that can be developed and improved. How would success look to you if you could present as confident, credible and polished, without giving it a second thought?