2023: Set Your Standards for a Consistent, Confident Presence
As 2022 comes to a close, it’s time to plan for 2023. Whether you’re leading a team, work in a small or large organization, are a budding entrepreneur or a solo-micro business owner, or searching for that next great opportunity, transitioning to a new year is a critical time. Setting the correct course now will help minimize setbacks and create momentum for a strong new year.
In a previous Image Matters News blog feature (“Don’t Undersell Yourself”), we mentioned that you never get a second chance to make an irretrievable first impression. The same is true as you begin a new year. Once you begin the year, you don’t get to start over.
If you’re taking the time to read this article, your sights are probably set high for 2023. And taking the time to consider your own presence, its authenticity and the consistency with which others see you is part of that vision. You know already that you need to not just show up, but to show up intentionally. You need to use your best self as a “tool” to get done what it is that you want/need to do or achieve, make the impact you wish for and have the successes you desire. To help you with this, here are some steps we teach for setting and developing standards for a consistent, confident presence.
Remember the Foundation
Don’t ever forget that YOU are your greatest asset. This includes how you look and dress, how you sound, the experiences you create, your mindset and your self-talk. At the very core, this also includes your vision, mission and values. (A vision statement is your destination and a mission statement is your map. Your values are your guideposts.) Tightly aligned with your values, a defined vision and mission for the coming year is your foundation for setting congruent standards for yourself. If you haven’t done it already, take the time to write out your values, vision and mission for 2023 and beyond.
Set Guiding Standards
Next, define a supportive presence in how you think, look, act, speak and dress. In setting guiding standards for this supportive presence, begin by answering the following questions:
• What types of tasks/projects/roles do you have, attend or support?
• What should you take into consideration before showing up for these?
• What successes do you want to occur in each type of encounter you have with others?
Knowing who it is that you’ll be in front of, the location/environment and the end goal of that interaction will guide you in shaping the impression you create (i.e., your presence). If you’ve ever stood in front of your closet wondering what you should wear, answering these questions will guide you to the perfect answer. For example, if you know that you’ll be introducing the president of your organization to your team and a key message is being delivered, you’ll want to wear the highest level of dress that your organization aligns itself to. The same is true in your communication — verbal and nonverbal — your behavior and any other supportive aspect of your extended image (like your digital presence if a meeting happens to be virtual).
Define Your Aligned Decorum
What are your “Who’s” and “Where’s”? Typically, most of us have three to four categories of who and where we encounter others. Consider your own with the Congruent Standards Table as a guide.
As you consider your encounters, categorize them from high to low in importance. Next, with the values, vision and mission you’ve defined, consider how formal you want to be in the decorum of your presence — in how you think, look, act, speak and dress. When all of this is aligned, you’ll have created an authentic guide to setting standards for your own consistent and confident presence. The key to all of this is understanding when and how to vary your approach as appropriate to the circumstances. Conscious, effective use of your presence can create lasting positive effects.
For a successful 2023, take the time to consider these ideas for shaping guiding standards for your presence that are authentic to you. Need help considering your encounters or the elements that make an effective aligned presence in your various roles? We can help.
The happiest of New Years to you!
