NLP At Work : The Difference That Makes the Difference in Business

FACTOR 2

HOW WE DRESS

conflicts that may exist within the individual and therefore

within the company.

Some notable examples of symbols that had a positive

influence on me include:

❏ The “welcome home” card sent by the holiday company.

❏ The latest equipment on the desks of every employee.

❏ The comprehensive directions sent to guide me to the

company premises.

❏ The bowl of fruit on the table in the meeting room.

❏ The Japanese Koi in the pond outside reception.

❏ The speed and personal style of the online chatroom

designed to answer any queries I have on the company’s

website.

Some that created an altogether different impression:

❏ The windowless rabbit-hutch offices of the company

development staff.

❏ The dead flowers in the vase on the reception desk.

❏ The marble staircase down to the senior managers’ parking

bays and the scuffed rubber one that proceeded to the

floors reserved for the cars of the rest of the staff.

❏ The rubbish behind the desk of the airline check-in counter.

❏ The “difficult to see over” height of the reception desk.

❏ The streaks on the coffee cups.

❏ The security guard on reception building a matchstick boat!

A few years ago I went to an image consultant. I was curious to

know how these consultants worked, as we were planning a

form of image development as part of the work that we doing

at that time, and I was also looking forward to some personal

feedback. I wore what I thought was one of my best outfits. I

was interested when the consultant, Chenube Roy, asked me

what messages I wanted to give the world in the way I dressed

and looked. I was impressed by this question, which dispelled

the myth that all image consultants worked purely with what

was on the outside. It provoked some thought and I replied:

“Openness and a slightly sexy image.” She looked at me in my

calf-length skirt and high roll-neck sweater. She tugged at the

144 NLP AT WORK