It is important as we are living in a society, dealing with others would include respect in each other. Would people respect us more when we are well-groomed and well-mannered with fine personality or vice versa? Let’s ponder…
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Image is everything. How people view you has a lot to do with whether they want to deal with you ever again in the future or not. It all begins with how you see yourself, how you carry yourself and the general thoughts you have around where you see yourself in the context of other professionals around you. One thing is certain; the one is well groomed, well manicured, well polished tends to have more confidence, boldness and favor than one who is not. The thing is, generally people tend to know it within themselves when they have not done their best and that thought resonates in the sub conscious. It becomes the headline in the mind hence it affects everything about the person. There is however a set of professionals that have no idea what grooming is about. They tend to do what they feel is the best according to the knowledge and exposure they grew up under. They feel entitled to their choices and hence they are bold in their state of not being well groomed. They are in essence comfortable wondering why everyone looks at them funny.
Common Grooming Considerations
1. Dress – Clothing permits you are and help you to achieve your goals. Clothes affect mannerisms and a new set of reactions; both internal and external affect our behavior. Clothes should compliment you, as they should a natural extension of yourself presenting the whole of you. They should fit well, modest and appropriate according to the people you are meeting, the place of meeting, the occasion/event, the time of day or season and the weather. Clothes should have a present day look and be of good quality. Avoid tight fitting clothes and those that reveal your under garments. Have the right combination of colors. You cannot dress like a Christmas tree or rainbow. The smaller the number of colors you wear the better. Wash your clothes and iron them. Polish shoes daily and carry a little duster in your pocket or car. In general all dressing must be smart. Some environments allow professionals to wear casual clothes; no ties and jackets etc. Every work place can define the minimum expectations of employees so that people are not left guessing.
2. Smell Good – Always use a deodorant after bathing or shower. Deodorant is used to cover or mask your own body odor and is applied under the armpits on the skin. It is not meant to make you smell nice hence the reason it stops having a smell after an hour or two. Soda can be used as deodorant by mixing it with water and making it into a paste which is then applied under the arms. After masking your body, you can then apply perfume which has a stronger, long lasting sweet smell. Perfumes come in three categories; Parfum – this has the greatest concentrate and hence it is the strongest; Eau De Parfum – has a lesser concentration than Parfum and lastly Eau De Toilette – has a lesser concentrate than Eau De Parfum. Perfumes are meant to make you smell nice hence they should not be used in the absence of a deodorant. Apply perfume to the pulse points which are on the wrists or neck region. Every individual has got their own preference of how they want to smell. There are many brands you can try on the market. Always note that you can easily be swindled by traders who peddle copies of perfume that are not original. Believe me, I have been a victim once.
3. Hair (head, face, armpits) – Clean your hair regularly. It should be well cut, well braided, plaited and styled appropriately. Avoid coloring your hair with shouting colors such as pink, green etc. Avoid hairstyles that are too big and too wild or weird. The more conservative your hairstyle the better. Always clip nasal and hair that comes out of the ears. For men, always shape your beard nicely. Some prefer a clean shave which is done daily. Just ensure it is trimmed and shaped nicely. Eyebrows that are nicely defined and shaped can enhance your look and appearance. Always shave the hair in the armpits. Long hair tends to make you smelly and sweaty in the armpits. Protect the scalp of your head by shampooing to remove all dirt and then oiling or applying a scalp spray. Whenever you have lots of dandruff it is a clear sign that the scalp is not well maintained.
4. Hand and Nails – Your hands should always be clean. The reason we wash hands before touching foot is because they carry a lot of germs because of the many things we touch daily, computer, cash, other hands etc. Nails should generally short for men. For ladies, nails can be short or reasonably long, clean and well presented. I painted, please use colors that do not shout such as earth colors or pinks that are close to your natural nail color. Once your nail polish chips remove it immediately or reapply. Chipped nail polish shows you do not pay attention to detail. Long nails tend to keep a lot of dirt and germs hence the need to regularly attend to the portion of the nails which extends out. Your palm is used to greet others; always apply sanitizer and hand lotion so that your hands are not scratching other. Sanitizer destroys all germs
5. Accessories – These are not mandatory but they enhance your look considerably. As a rule of thumb, avoid over dressing by putting on too many accessories. Accessories include necklace, ear rings, watch, bangles, fashion rings, belts. It is better not to have accessories than buy cheap imitations. Good accessories should accompany clothes. Socks must match either the shoes or clothes you are wearing. White socks must be avoided and worn with sports gear. Belts should generally be leather and of a good quality. Recommended colors are black and dark brown. The belt should match the shoes you are wearing. Any form of piercing on the nose, tongue and ear with the goal of putting accessories should avoided by professionals. For ladies, you can have clip on ear rings instead of piercing your ears. I have seen the horror that people go through with piercing, what is worse is when the metallic objects begin to react inside your ear. In some instances the piercing becomes wider and wider making the ear look deformed.
6. Makeup & Tattoos – As a professional you should always ensure your makeup is conservative. Usually the ladies apply more makeup than men. There is nothing wrong with men applying makeup. Makeup enhances and brightens the face and in some cases it removes marks and obvious defects. Apply makeup that is not shouting but complimenting your skin complexion. Ask the specialists concerning which colors compliment your skin. People of color generally have specific ranges that are a lot different from those applied by fair skinned people. Tattoos are to be avoided as much as possible especially on parts of the body that are exposed to the outside world. Tattoos are permanent marks hence the need to be cautious about living your whole life with a mark you may one day wish you didn’t have.
7. Greetings and handshakes – One thing you will have to get used to is the issue of greetings and how to handle handshakes. As a professional you will always be meeting different people in meetings, customers, supplier and all the relevant stakeholders in your organization. My advice on this is to avoid handshakes and greet with your mouth as much as possible. It is not only hygienic but there are cultures that are offended when you shake their hands. If a hand is extended to you, by all means comply and shake the other party’s hand. As a professional always endeavor to greet the person in a formal manner not using slang or native languages. In your initial statements you are able to establish the language preference of the person you are meeting. Always be quick to switch and exercise situational sensitivity to the one you are talking to.
8. Facial Expression & Facial Cleansing – In the workplace setting, as you meet stakeholders, it is wise to wear a smile all the time. Smiles are contagious. They tend to hide the personal issues one maybe going through. Frowning at people because of the personal issues you are going through will never solve the issues. Everyone has issues and the best thing you can ever do is deal with your own issues privately and appear like you have no issues. Have a positive outlook that encourages customers and employees to work with you and stick around you. No one ever wants to stick around gloomy people. Your face accumulates dead cells like every other part of the body. There are facial masks, cleansers and toners you can use to cleanse your face regularly so that your face keeps looking younger longer. Sometimes people lose their original complexion as the faces would be in a state of neglect. A whole set of cleanser, mask, toner and moisturizer will cost you no more an $50 and this may last you many months. Again you use a range that best fits your facial complexion and skin type.
9. Posture & Deportment Management – Standing, Walking and Sitting. Deportment refers to the manner of acting with respect to the courtesies and duties of life, behavior and conduct. Posture refers to the position or arrangement of the body and its limbs. Avoid slouching when standing. Stand up straight, feet in an outward position, one foot in front of the other and shoulder width apart. This helps you to keep a balance at all times. When you walk, you need to have shoulders back, stomach in and chin always parallel to the ground. Always start walking with the front foot, walk from the hip and not from the shoulders. Head and shoulders must be relaxed. Keep arms close to your side with main movement from the elbow downwards. When sitting, you need to ensure that your back is straight. Ladies should sit with legs crossed and hands crossed comfortably resting on each leg.
10. General Hygiene – Hygiene refers to the science concerned with prevention of illness and maintenance of health or a condition promoting sanitary practices “personal hygiene”. Brush your teeth with toothpaste at least twice daily; in the morning and before going to bed. I personally store a toothbrush and toothpaste in my office hence I have added a third time of brushing my teeth. Rinse your mouth after meals or suck on a mint. I find that helpful. You can also carry mouthwash in your car or office. Avoid foods that are smelly like garlic, raw onion etc during the course of the day. Bath the body with soap at least once daily. Some bath twice daily which is also good, in the morning and before going to bed. After bathing, use lotion to avoid dry chapped skin. Cover your body with the lotion. It also helps to close open pores.
Rabison Shumba is a writer, businessman and philanthropist. Writer of the book The Greatness Manual which you can preview on http://greatnessmanual.wordpress.com. Founder and CEO of Infotech Solutions and Greatness Factory Trust. Rabison speaks about success, leadership, motivation and inspiration. His trust works with disadvantaged school children supporting them with school fees and general livelihood. He also helps to network artists (musicians of all genres) to facilitate information sharing and building of future celebrities. Rabison is well traveled having been to Asia, America, United Kingdom and all over Africa. He is married to Jacqueline Edwards and they have two children. They reside in Harare, Zimbabwe, Southern Africa.
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