We are only a moment

Building a lasting impression by managing your professional profile. 

True personal and professional development can only occur when we’re adequately self aware and agile enough to adapt ourselves to interact more effectively with others. Over the years, popular theory has told us that everyone falls under a particular personality type or mix and should therefore be ‘handled’ differently depending on who they are. I’m not too sure its as scientific as that! We all accept that people are strange and come in a variety of flavours but I would propose that we establish our own set of core values and principles and apply them consistently to every interaction we find ourselves in. 

This is where actively managing your profile makes all the difference. You might be a highly skilled expert in your field but if you have a bad attitude or lack in the ‘likability’ department the chances are your career prospects will be limited and your organisational ascension stifled. It takes absolutely zero effort to display a positive demeanor and approachable demeanor. 

Self awareness allows us to know our faults and be conscious of them before engaging with others. Do you tend to talk too much? Get frustrated easily? or maybe you come across as dismissive because you’re always focused on getting your work done?—?whatever it is! you may be setting a bad impression which can result in poor working relationships with others. This is where your profile is everything?—?knowing yourself and developing your own personal brand is an essential ingredient to a successful career. It's easier to be an example instead of actively setting an example. 

All organisations are political where of course people talk… a lot. It’s important to be consistent with everyone you meet because reputation management is as important as getting the job done. Avoid making excuses, missing deadlines you’ve committed to, being unprepared, unresponsive and underestimating the details. Keep your emotions in check and try not to react so often.

Better understanding yourself will allow you to better navigate through your work life and ultimately develop a well rounded reputation that will serve you in many rewarding ways.