Manage your image to stay ahead in office

[Badshah Mamun]

Manage your image to stay ahead in office

Owing to the slowdown and layoffs, work pressure for most people has inevitably multiplied. Today as an employee, you cannot just ?do your job? and go home ? you also have prove to be a dependable resource with effective multi-tasking ability.

In this age of fierce competition, it is necessary to become indispensable for your company and ?standing out?, among a bunch of hardworking colleagues.

While your work will speak for itself, if you are keen to stay ahead, it?s time to brush your soft skills and do a little PR for yourself!

Experts believe ?Personal PR? can give you a heads up and can be the much needed drive for your passion. ?Five to seven years ago, it was believed that you should do your work silently, and people will take notice, however, the scenario now is changing,? says Roshan Abbas, MD, Encompass.

?Today, it is not only good work, but your personality that can win you kudos,? says Sabira Merchant, Corporate Finesse Expert. ?You could have done some great work but it is critical to communicate the same in the right way, using the right words, at the right forum,? adds Arijit Sengupta, President, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, India.

Don?t think you?re an introvert ? Sabira explains that PR skills are innate in a person, and can be cultivated if you have the will. If you are keen on winning the way, following are a few quick steps to get there.

Quick steps to stay ahead of others in office

WHAT YOU DO MATTERS

?Your work is the basic ingredient of Personal PR,? says Sengupta. ?Your words must be a reflection of your hard work, and not just a tool to get an appraisal,? Abbas seconds.

?You cannot be a talker who is not good at work. In such a scenario, people may perceive you to be just a good talker, and then declare you as one who talks to cover his incapabilities. That way, you will never go far. Personal PR is not about selling yourself, but selling your skills,? he adds.

TAKE INITIATIVES

?Begin with assessing your boss. Does he acknowledge your efforts, or does he taking credit for your work? An intelligent boss will always recognize a good worker. If you do not have enough support from your immediate boss, take on initiatives which impact people at the larger end,? suggests Abbas.

?While solving an immediate problem is your job, look at providing a long term solution to it, which would be an initiative.? Sengupta adds, ?Taking on a corporate initiative, apart from your set defined role, is a great way to get noticed.?

BE PREPARED AT ALL TIMES

Abbas professes keeping an elevator pitch handy. ?Imagine you have 30 seconds with your company MD while in the lift. What would you say about yourself to leave a lasting impression in his mind?? He adds, ?When I travel back from client meetings, if I do happen to be with someone who has joined the company recently, I often ask the person of his long term goals. Though a standard question, it helps me gauge the mindset and ability of the person to take on responsibilities. Thus, it is critical to have a definite vision for yourself and for the place you work for.?

SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY

It is important to communicate the right message at the right forum. ?The annual gathering could be a good place to subtly send out your message to the relevant key bosses,? feels Sengupta. Abbas seconds this, ?Even if you are an introvert, you do get three to four opportunities in the year like the HR review meeting, or a time when the team has accomplished a task and needs to speak about it. Luck is when opportunity meets preparedness. At such a time, you should have your personal pitch ready. Try and be proactive than reactive.?

A word of caution ? ?Do not overdo it. Your visibility must be appropriate, else it can backfire,? warns Sengupta. Try not to be the sole focus always. It should be about ?everyone and me?, not just ?me?.

GET THE RIGHT LOOK

Power dressing has always worked its magic in the corporate world. ?Someone who dresses well can attract many starters for conversations. Many times, a conversation begins with ? hey, you?re wearing great shoes, where did you pick them from?? says Abbas. Merchant adds, ?Cultivate a good tone, maintain eye contact with the person while speaking, socialize, be suave and charming, and you have got a great combination!?

GO THE EXTRA MILE

Merchant believes that a good PR person must always anticipate what others want. ?Preempt what a person would want before you are asked for it. That additional step can do wonders,? she says.

A few small steps apart from the hard work can perk up your career prospects. Whip up the right mix of PR tools, and you could well be an employer?s ideal choice. Merchant concludes, ?Most significantly, mean what you say, or act that you mean it!? Sengupta advices ?Play it cool sometimes. It is not necessary to be visible all the time. Continue to communicate the right messages to the right people,? Abbas signs off, ?Be ambitious, have a plan for your career and believe in yourself.

Source: http://blog.timesjobs.com/2010/10/manage-your-image-to-stay-ahead-in-office/