I love to travel, especially overseas. It gives you the opportunity to broaden your horizons, meet different people and see things you would normally never see. It is character building and opens you up to a whole new set of ideas. It also means you need to be much more aware of what your image, clothes and body language say about you.
In each place I visit, I try to observe the communication behaviours of people. In many instances this communication is non verbal and a lot of what you understand is based on the tone of voice, facial expressions and image - especially if you don't speak the local language. If you have ever tired to speak another language, it is much easier to understand what is being said if you are face to face with the person than if you are listening over the telephone. Why? Because over the phone you can't see their dress or body language to help you understand what they are saying. You only have their words. According to studies taken on the way people communicate, only about 7% of meaning is based on words, where as 55% is based on visual communication, (Albert Mehrabian, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, UCLA) so your image is important.
Your visual communication can be a very powerful tool in making your message heard and understood. The way you dress and your body language will tell those around you what your social background, education and trustworthiness is. The above research has also shown that if your visual communication conflicts with your verbal communication then people are more likely to believe your visual communication. You can control your visual communication and the messages you send out through the way you dress and through your body language. Often we forget how important this form of communication is but if you think about the message you want to project to the world and dress accordingly then you will send out the right messages every time.
Things to consider about your visual communication:
• If you are in the workforce or a business owner, how do you want to market yourself? What is your brand? If you aspire to a higher role, dress for the role you want and not the role you are in. Show senior management or clients you are serious about your profession or business. The business world is image orientated and a good impression goes a long way
• Dress appropriately for the occasion and be aware of your facial expressions and hand gestures. Avoid giving out a negative message before you have had time to introduce yourself or explain yourself
• When travelling internationally, be aware of appropriate dress codes and that different cultures interpret different gestures differently. If all else fails, pay attention to those around you and copy them
(Source: Mehrabian, A. (1981) Silent messages: Implicit communication of emotions and attitudes. Belmont, CA) Anna Martin is the co-founder of Izziana Image Consultants and is a great believer that personal image is an important part of increasing people's confidence, self-esteem and wellbeing.
