| Lately it seems that almost every day I hear from a | | | | Otherwise why would a large organization seek out a |
| human resource professional who is struggling to talk | | | | consultant and coach for professional advice on how |
| with someone in their organization about their image. | | | | to deal with that employee's personal image? |
| Personal image can be a very private, personal, and | | | | It's never easy, of course. I often revert back to the |
| difficult thing to talk about, after all. Who among us | | | | many conversations I had with different levels of |
| wants to find out that our interpretation of the dress | | | | employees during my days as a senior executive |
| code was wrong or that our image is not a positive | | | | with Macy's. After each of those conversations I |
| reflection of the one the boss envisions? While it can | | | | always felt relieved that the discussion was behind us |
| be a delicate matter to have this kind of | | | | so that I could begin to see how the employee was |
| conversation, I always advise the human resource | | | | going to respond and work to solve the issue at |
| manager that it is really no different than addressing | | | | hand. Now that I work as a consultant with |
| an employee who comes to work late or whose | | | | organizations I am able to offer tips, advice, and my |
| work is not up to standard. It's just that many | | | | executive coaching skills -before, during, and after |
| employees who have a strong work ethic, great | | | | these conversations. |
| performance, and an energetic "get it done" attitude | | | | It's always an eye-opener for the employee to hear |
| have never really learned the how-to's of creating a | | | | this type of constructive feedback. But after our first |
| top-notch professional image. So that's when the | | | | session they realize how wonderful the organization |
| organization's human resource team calls to seek my | | | | was that it was willing to seek an image coach to |
| professional advice. | | | | give them the specific skills and tools they needed to |
| I always make sure that in discussing the individual I | | | | enhance their image. I've never yet worked with a |
| find out specifics about how he or she does not best | | | | company that did not feel that a positive shift or |
| represent the corporate brand in terms of a | | | | change happened, once the individual understood how |
| professional presence. It's important to understand | | | | their image represented the organization and I had an |
| specifics, not broad generalizations, and I've heard | | | | opportunity to coach them to bring out their ultimate |
| them all. Inappropriate dress and grooming essentials, | | | | potential. |
| poor table manners, ineffective email communication | | | | We have also found that these valued employees |
| skills, a lack of rapport, deficient inter-office | | | | remain with the organization for a longer duration of |
| communications and platform skills, a lack of office | | | | employment and feel very positive about the |
| etiquette - the list goes on and on. | | | | organization and their workplace experience. They |
| Typically during the course of the conversation I find | | | | appreciate that their company enlisted an |
| out that the employee in question is a highly valued | | | | experienced outside consultant to help them polish |
| employee and company asset. Of course they are! | | | | their professional development skills. |