We all remember our time in college when we used to spend time with friends and have a good time. The transition for many is difficult. In my recent training session in college, one of the students asked why he cannot continue wearing his casual attire i.e. jeans to work because that is his personality.
That is when I had to tell him real life story of a finance professional Jai. He had his own venture of selling financial products to customers. Jai loved wearing jeans and hated the idea of formal dressing. I was introduced to him through a common friend who wanted to change the perception of Jai with regards to his dressing style.
It is difficult to change any person and specially someone who has lived in a particular way for years. I knew, I had to bring the transformation inside out and not makeover which will last for a day. I suggested Jai to start experimenting wearing cotton trousers instead of jeans. Secondly to try cotton shirts tucked in which are equally comfortable as T-shirts.
Jai started receiving compliments with just this small change in his attire. He became more open to try and experiment different looks to display the professional in him. People started taking his views more seriously and looking up to him for advice. He was considered as knowledgeable and expert in his field. This, of course, started to generate him more business.
It is very important to take the first step towards change to change your life for the better.
Asmita Neve-Pawar is a Certified Trainer in Image Management and Soft Skills from ICBI. Due to her keen interest in human behaviour, she has also done her NLP certification. She has transformed hundreds of individuals through personal and group consultations.