Loading the searchable article library…
Browse published articles attributed to Diane Craig, with full-archive search.
Trend-spotting off the Beaten Path Style-makers and trendsetters, even Hollywood celebrities, have long known the benefits of combing Goodwill Stores for hidden gems, but a funny thing happened on our way through the recession. Goodwill stores across North America noticed an increase in sales – the exact opposite of most retailers.
Body language and tone of voice convey 93% of our messages - not words - according to Dr. Albert Mehrabian, international expert on non-verbal communication. Surprisingly, spoken words account for only seven percent of what listeners perceive. n With this in mind, let's visit some ...
In fitting rooms across the planet, “Does it make me look fat?” — is without a doubt the pivotal issue that makes or breaks a clothing sale. Ultimately, it’s a rhetorical question because the woman doing the trying-on will make the call herself. If she has even the slightest uncertainty that the garment doesn’t shave ten pounds off her hips, midsection or thighs, chances are, it’s cast aside. And the alarming thing is, the question is as likely to be asked by a size 8 as a size 18!
No, I am not a clothing snob. Just because I nix flip-flops in the office and cargo shorts for Dress-dow Fridays does not mean my idea of sartorial splendour begins and ends with Savile Row.
Almost exactly to the day, fifteen years ago, I established a special ritual. It was January 1, 1996 and as I prepared to actually write down my goals for the year, it never occurred to me that this exercise would become a fulfilling rite that motivates me to dream big and better. From “Technicolor” and high definitio I’ve move on to Surround-Sound-3D goals!
My invitation arrived unannounced. Just as I was rushing out to a meeting, an email came in from my client, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL). I started reading and right at the end of the message, there it was: “I want you to know how much I value your partnership … I’d like to invite you and a guest to join me in November onboard our newest ship — the beautiful Allure of the Seas!!!” Incredible, I thought and kept reading: “You would be my guest onboard for a 2-day inaugural sailing out of Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale.
Rebranding implies excitement. With Supermodel Linda Evangelista as the new face of retailer Talbots, excitement is an understatement. I say this because, to paraphrase garment industry jargon, Talbots delivers the goods. Behind every signature red door, there’s a savvy mix of merchandise. It’s this extraordinary range of clothing that reinforces the new image. Linda may “bring ’em in the door,” but only the right clothes will produce sales.
I’ve belonged to numerous gyms and health clubs over the years and it never fails to amaze me that every “resolutionist” in town signs up for membership at MY gym in January. This year was no different. I showed up at my usual time and voilà — all the machines were in overdrive with bodies furiously pumping at each and every weight station. I should mention that my usual time is not exactly peak. Didn’t matter. The whole gang was there.
Ten Tips From a Professional Trainer Some friends and colleagues, notably women, have left the locker room behind for yoga and Pilates studios, but I‘m sticking and staying with my regular workout at the gym. Not every day, but three times a week – early morning, at lunch, or in a pinch after work – I visit the gym.
Creating the right image is a powerful tool for success. This is as true for corporations as it is for individuals. Over the last few months, I’ve been fascinated to watch as traditional retailer Talbots re-branded itself from a chain for conservative, some would say stodgy, sixty-somethings to a destination store for younger, hipper, edgier, career women. But there’s more — and this is where it gets really exciting — they are exceeding market expectations! During a recent pant promotion they sold almost 600,000 pairs in nine weeks. Talk about a sensational performance.
Are cell phones appropriate at the dinner table? For many, the answer is an obvious “no.” Not only answering a call or viewing a text at a meal, but also placing the phone on the table or refusing to turn it on silent are considered rude gestures while dining. Yet for a younger generation constantly connected through text messaging or email via cell phones, perceptions of what is rude and what is acceptable vary greatly. Feelings are mixed as to whether the presence of cell phones at the dinner table truly are inappropriate, and to what degree it is proper to use them.
Happy holidays! It’s time for most businesses to close down in observance of Christmas and the New Year. But when we’re constantly caught up in the fast pace of the office, it can be hard to stop working entirely and to enjoy the time off. A few extra days without constant meetings and incoming requests: it seems like the perfect opportunity to catch up on forgotten emails and unfinished to-do lists, or to start on projects planned for next year.
As a Certified Image and Etiquette consultant, for over 20 years I’ve watched the definition of etiquette evolve and expand, especially in the world of business. Thirty years ago, anyone using the word etiquette in everyday speech might have been laughed out of town. Let’s face it; etiquette had a bad rap. It was synonymous with pretension – the Holy Grail of an elite frate ity of social snobs. Rather like curtsying at a debutantes’ ball. There were exceptions, of course.
When it comes to air travel, anything more than a carry-on is counter productive. It’s not just the lost-luggage-factor that has most women wheeling, not carrying, a single bag onboard. The hassle, the time lost, and often our travel partners, with little or no patience for hanging around carousels, have conditioned even the most passionate clothes horse to cut back and pack light.
Managing your office environment Apple Stores across North America take pride in being paperless environments. They use technology to circumvent reams of paper, with only an occasional departure from their paperless guidelines. Apple may be the exception, rather than the rule. If memory serves, it wasn’t long ago when “experts” were forecasting that offices around the world would phase out paper. Not due to environmental pressure, but because cutting edge technology would see paper as the 21st century equivalent of papyrus scrolls.
Biina Feldman joined our team this year and we are thrilled to be working with her. Bina just wrote a fabulous article on How To Give Presentations which I am certain you will find great golden nuggets in. Enjoy and thank you Bina!
<img class="size-medium wp-image-638 alignleft" title="julia709" src="http://www.corporateclassinc.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/julia709-300x203.jpg" alt="julia709" width="240" height="162" />
<img class="size-medium wp-image-638 alignleft" title="julia709" src="http://www.corporateclassinc.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/julia709-300x203.jpg" alt="julia709" width="240" height="162"
Earlier this month, Global News asked me to appear on the 6 o’clock news to comment on the social taboo of foul language or cursing and swearing. I was being asked to comment on the etiquette of cursing–an oxymoron if ever I heard one! (Swearing – meaning solemn promise – is another subject for another day.) A recent study by British psychologist Dr. Richard Stephens had just been released, linking the use of four letter words, profanities, vulgarities – by whichever name you call them – with pain management.
How do you build strong relationships with your clients? For many, networking with clients outside the office is as important as the work done during business hours. This often takes the form of extensive dinners or late nights of eating and drinking. However, as we head into the New Year after a season of hefty holiday meals and endless Christmas cookies, dining lavishly with clients may seem unappealing. But just before the holidays I read an article in the New York Times that provided an intriguing alte ative: taking a client to the gym for networking and working out.
Other than quick morning greetings or lunchtime conversations, how do you connect with your employees or colleagues on a personal level? A few days throughout the year dedicated to team-building activities or corporate outings provide an excellent context for developing relationships within your company. One activity in particular is gaining momentum: corporate volunteering. As companies are seeking ways to invest in charitable causes and to establish corporate social responsibility, corporate volunteering provides a way to integrate these goals with facilitating employee relationships.
A Few Words on Apologies Last fall, on a walking tour of downtow Toronto with my son, a particularly attractive building caught my attention. I was so busy admiring its architecture that I didn’t see the bench in my path. Boom! I took a tumble worthy of a Hollywood stuntwoman. It was a spectacular fall – no worries, no injuries – and my son, despite his efforts to help me regain my composure could not contain his laughter.
Recently, it occurred to me that the sessions and workshops I deliver to corporations’ new recruits could be called Business Boot Camp. Fitness marketers have created a designation called “body boot camps” and I see an interesting parallel. My role, like that of the fitness instructors at all these body boot camps, is to encourage new recruits to look their best, to target areas that need work and perhaps most importantly, to motivate them. These recruits are the best and the brightest. They come with credentials and confidence.
What better context both to form new business contacts and to develop existing connections than at a business cocktail party, which has a more casual and relaxed vibe than the office – but still maintains a professional overtone? Business cocktail parties are a great opportunity to break out of your shell, whether you are looking to explore career options, expand your knowledge about a company and its employees, or simply to broaden your network of contacts.
Leadership is a skill that is not reserved solely for managers, directors, VPs, or anyone else who is the head of a department or a company. It is a crucial quality that any valuable employee should demonstrate in some form or another in the workplace. The term “leadership” can encompass a wide variety of actions and attitudes; it does not necessarily apply only to a single leader of a group. Leadership can manifest in small actions that can ultimately result in change – and as such, it is an essential part of the progress both of a company and of your individual growth as a professional.
In any office, it is important to be respectful of others’ workspaces, as well as mindful of the presentation of your own. When your office layout is composed of cubicles or is an open environment, considerations of space and conduct are doubly important. As a component of the shared office, all the elements of your workspace – the volume of your voice, the cleanliness of your desk, the perfume you apply in the morning – will affect nearby colleagues as well as the general office atmosphere.
Tweetiquette - a roundup of ideas, attitudes and opinions, plus, our Top Ten Tweeting Tips Twitter - sophisticated branding tool or simple, social-networking toy? Ask President Obama, CNN, Martha Stewart or Ashton Kutcher and you'll hear a resounding "Yes" on the branding tool front.
According to the recent Ipsos/Reuters survey conducted in 24 countries around the world, there is considerable disagreement about business dress codes. That's not to say workplace attire is an international hot potato with daily conference calls betwee Brussels and Singapore thrashing out the pros and cons of polo shirts. But, the very fact that Ispos, one of the world's leading market research firms, organized this survey speaks volumes about the magnitude of dress code issues.
Before the Statute of Limitations runs out on making resolutions, I have a suggestion. Not a casual, easily cast aside resolution like signing up for spin class or cutting back on caffeine, but a biggie and one that calls for commitment. Executive presence is the core of my suggestion and in those long forgotten days of making resolutions in cursive, it could have been listed as "improve leadership skills."
In my book, eavesdropping is snooping. It may be accepted behaviour in spy novels and British mystery programs but unless your name is Inspector Poirot, eavesdropping is a no-no.
Last month, a series of conversations recorded in 1964 betwee Jacqueline Kennedy and Arthur Schlesinger Jr., a former Kennedy aide, was published into the latest book on the legendary first lady – and one of my favourite 20th-century style icons – titled Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on Life with John F. Kennedy. During these conversations, Jackie speaks her mind – sometimes controversially so – sharing her opinions on political figures, musing on life in the spotlight, reminiscing on past times with JFK.
Let the festivities begin! It’s time to celebrate the season at the office holiday party. Where are you headed – to an after-work cocktail, to a semi-formal party or dinner, or to a full-out formal gala? And, have you decided what you’re going to wear? Planning your office Christmas party attire can prove to be more of a holiday chore than holiday cheer – especially if you need a quick office-to-party switch, or if you are trying to balance a fair share of seasonal expenses.
The pencil skirt and matching blazer, the pantsuit, the crisp cotton blouse: if you are a working professional, most likely you have become accustomed to dressing for business from 9 to 5 every day and have the wardrobe to prove it. But what about those occasions which merit something more than the standard office attire? There may come a time when you will have to plan for your after-hours office attire: such as an invitation to a formal evening gala.
Trend spotting - Coffee is the new lunch Times change. "Green is the new black." Who could have imagined that two clashing forces - the Fashion Media and Birkenstockers - would stand united by this simple phrase? Surpassing its creators' wildest dreams, "green is the new black," has brought these disparate groups together. No doubt about it, the environment is on everyone's lips and minds. But in the corporate world, there is another trend ready to make the jump from fringe to mainstream. We're not talking about a life-changing phenomenon.
Consider your usual written correspondences: most likely you write and receive dozens of emails every day, and text messages fly in and out of your cell phone. Concise and rapid messages are ideal on busy workdays when there are plenty of proposals, meetings, and follow-ups to fill up your schedule, not to mention your inbox – and now, PDAs and tablets have made written communication more efficient than ever. Of course, when we are so accustomed to quickly skimming messages on a screen, receiving a classic handwritten card or note is a special occasion.
The expression “attention to detail” has become something of a cliché on most job descriptions. What job doesn’t require attention to detail? But recently, I witnessed first hand, a group of professionals whose entire workload is attention to detail. My mission was to provide training for Event Coordinators within a large organization.
Translation: please respond A client writes: There seems to be a lot of confusion about RSVP. I noticed this with two invitations I recently sent out. The first was to an intimate bridal shower at my home, and the second, to a costly destination wedding. I understand my experience was typical. Today, brides and mothers-of-the-bride must routinely call guests who ignore RSVP’s, even when a reply card is included with the wedding invitation. Diane: You’re absolutely right – there is tremendous confusion about RSVP’s. Not just surrounding weddings but for all kinds of events.
It’s that time of year again: crisp, bright mornings; fall foliage in a stunning palette of gold, red, and orange; the freshest picks of the fall harvest. Autumn has so much to offer – yet here in Toronto, I already felt the first pangs of longing for the recent summer when the weather turned bitter, wet and windy last week. Navigating through that harsh weather is certainly an adjustment – not to mention, a major hazard to your business attire if you have to confront rainy city streets on your way to work or a meeting!
We send and receive dozens of work-related emails every day. Messages – often ones that are internal communications – crowd our inboxes and our time. But how many of those incoming emails are truly necessary and important? When does the amount of spent reading and responding to colleagues’ emails become counter-productive? These questions have surfaced as companies have begun to explore new ways to improve efficiency and to relieve their employees from daily floods of redundant messages.
A well-rounded selection of business attire is essential for any professional. Yet I would add that the right set of business accessories is equally as important in developing a polished image for the workplace. Professional accoutrements combine form and function to give the impression of a prepared and put-together individual. Anyone ranging from recent graduates just entering the workforce to seasoned employees can benefit from these suggestions.
What’s the rate of return for investing in your personal business image? Is there evidence that corporate bottom lines correlate with polished business manners? Does the manner in which an individual presents oneself, both in dress and behaviour, contribute to increased profitability? I’ve ...
I am a real advocate of looking up the ladder to role models, for cues and guidelines, so I was truly exasperated to hear the following story: A young colleague of mine, let’s call her Mandy, returned from a recent meeting so agitated, not even an iced cappuccino (with whipped cream!) would calm her down. Mandy explained to me that at the last minute she’d been invited to submit a bid to a potential client. She had worked around the clock on her proposal, including numerous calls to the company’s HR department, making sure she had all her ducks in a row.
When I established my Executive Presence Training Program, body language was an important building block. Still is, when you consider that our strongest impressions are conveyed visually. The subtleties or nuances of even minimal body movements and gestures provide important signals. Body language speaks volumes.
When we first receive an invitation, it is always exciting but as the date approaches, the excitement of attending the function is now turning into a chore, it is on the evening of your favorite show, your son’s hockey game or you just plain want to go home and be quiet. You may hear this ...
Last week I reviewed Narinder K. Mehta’s recent publication, Five Steps to Your Next Job, a valuable resource for anyone on the job hunt. In my previous post, I featured the book’s insight on the latest trends in the contemporary job market, notably building your resume and making professional connections via social networking and establishing your “online presence.” This week, I would like to continue the discussion by focusing on one aspect of the job search that always has been and will continue to be decisive in the hiring process: the job interview.
The job search can be daunting, whether you have just entered the market for the first time or you are seeking a change after years of employment. Finding a new job requires not only persistence and determination, but also a sound set of tools, including your resume, cover letter, interview skills and plan of action. At Corporate Class Inc. we also teach that a well-developed professional image and an understanding of business etiquette contribute significantly to your growth as a professional and to your success in the job market.
Looking to sharpen your professional image? Working one-on-one with an image consultant is a great way to boost your style and skills. An image consultant can coach you on your attire, professional demeanour, grooming and makeup, verbal skills, and body language. You can also hire a consultant to help you prepare for something specific, such as a job interview or an important presentation. Or, you might choose to bring in an image consultant to speak to a larger audience during a company training. But first, choosing the right image consultant will require some research and preparation.
A captivating new phenomenon in business communication recently has emerged: office-wide social networking sites. Reading an article in The Globe and Mail last week detailing the pros and cons of this rapidly growing form of internal communication, I was struck by the possibilities for valuable discussion between all levels of employees that this casual forum enables. And yet I couldn’t help but wonder: what new questions or problems for communication etiquette could these sites invite? As I learned more about the sites and their benefits, I kept this question in mind.
The job search can be daunting, whether you have just entered the market for the first time or you are seeking a change after years of employment. Finding a new job requires not only persistence and determination, but also a sound set of tools, including your resume, cover letter, interview skills and plan of action. At Corporate Class Inc. we also teach that a well-developed professional image and an understanding of business etiquette contribute significantly to your growth as a professional and to your success in the job market.