The biggest challenge for a newly formed team is understanding each other’s communication styles. Some prefer conversations over the phone. Some choose e-mail. Some like immediate responses, even if it is not urgent. The best way to be on the same page communication wise, is to produce guidelines. Here are some tips to help begin the process:

Team Leader heading:

Operating Tips for Working with _________ on My Team

As I assume ___________, I want to ensure smooth and effective communication by sharing my operating style with you and learning about yours. By honoring each other’s styles, we will create an excellent team.

• Spell out the business protocols (example: always come to me first with a problem and if you cannot reach me do this) __________________.
• Best to reach me using _______________________________________.
• I will respond to you by ________________ within __________ time.

Team Member heading:

How I Like to Communicate as a Member of ___________Team

This questionnaire is designed to enable you to share your preferred operating methods with me so we can ensure efficient and effective communication. Please complete this survey and return it to me by _________ via e-mail:

• My preferred method of communication is via __________________.

• If an issue needs immediate attention, call me at _________________.

• In case of an emergency, contact me via __________ and expect an answer from me within __________________________________.

When you layout communication preferences for all to see like this, it will definitely make information exchanges less stressful, helping to ensure a successful team.

80% of women do not wear hose with their shoes (pumps and dress flats.) It seemd like they all wore socks with their athletic shoes until recently.

I was at an event and the women who did wear hose wore black opaque stockings. They were cold and also were wearing dresses. Both the dresses were shorter and the heels very high. I was surprised because it seemed most women were not wearing hose especially if they were under 40.

So, the question that always comes up is do you have to wear stockings?

Fashion rules say you never wear hose with toeless sandals. But the reality is dress policies have gotten so relaxed about hose that most women stopped wearing it!

It began as comfort and a mini revolt. The celebrities first started wearing sandals without hose (even though you can buy panty hose without toes to wear with sandals). Then it moved into not wearing hose all together. Of course, then everyone else started to do the same.

The hosiery industry had to become more innovative. Check out http://www.silkies.com/search.asp?SKW=cat1_f@&CAT=SILKIES. This is just one of the many sites that show hosiery companies fighting back by offering different styles and patterns to influence women to wear hose.

My tip for those who have very bare white leg and don’t want to wear hose is to wear slacks. Make wearing hosiery a non issue.

Smoking is bad for your health. Plus, we are not living in an era where smoking a cigarette is considered chic. If you are a smoker and want to minimize the odor, do not:

• Smoke before a meeting.
• Wear a heavy cologne to mask the cigarette smell.
• Hold your cigarette the whole time you are smoking.
• Smoke in the car while driving.

These are the things you can do as a smoker to minimize the effect of smoke odor on your body:

• Smoke at least two hours before making contact with anyone.
• If you wear a cologne make it a light flower scent.
• Keep your cigarette in an ash tray while smoking (this keeps odor away from you).
• Keep an unscented fabric softener sheet in your pocket. It will absorb the smell.
• Wash your hands with mildly scented soap before going into a meeting.

Smoking has long ceased being elegant but if you do smoke, make sure it does not define you.

In Google, 904,000 entries for pen writing instruments came up in 0.20 seconds.

As stated on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pen (Latin pinna, feather), a pen is a long, thin, rounded device used to apply ink to a surface for the purpose of writing, usually on paper. There are several different types including ballpoint, rollerball, fountain, and felt-tip. Historically, reed, quill and dip pens were used. Modern-day pens come in a variety of colors and sizes. The most common ones write in black or blue ink.

With Apple’s I Tablet, I Pod and various PDAs, is the pen losing ground? I believe it is not. When you write a letter or sign a note, a good pen, when it is the right shape, weight and balance for your hand, will always be more elegant then sending or taking a note via any electronic instrument.

In today’s professional world, it is protocol to remember men and women are created equal. Here are some etiquette tips to clarify any misunderstandings:

• Whoever gets there first, opens the traditional door or goes through the revolving one.
• In speaking with a restaurant hostess the same rules apply. Whoever gets there first when securing a table for lunch or dinner verifies the reservation.
• Men are not required to help a women into her chair(the waiter will do this).
• Whoever is the highest ranking person in the room, he or she is introduced first.
• A man or woman can help each other with their coats. Whoever has a free hand, assists.

However, some common courtesies never go out of style. If a woman drops something it is nice for the man to pick it up.

Remembering these few protocols will remind you, that in the business world, all sexes are equal.

Airlines (not Southwest) make it very expensive to check a bag. So, many folks today carry their bags on the plane. What does the shape and color of the bag say about their owners?

The most popular luggage includes rollers that you can pull along. These are bag owners who are efficient and follow the rules found on http://www.luggageonline.com/about_airlines.cfm. The bags are typically black, brown or gray. They say I mean business. They say I am practical.

Then there are the owners who want to be different. Their luggage is usually in red, purple, yellow or orange. The business folks who are getting more hip are leaning to the orange and red bags.

There are the label bags, Gucci, Louis Vuitton or Tumi. These make a luxury statement for their owners.

The fun bags are the ones with all sorts of pattern that you either love or make your think— well, that bag will never get lost. Don’t allow your bag to look overstuffed. When it looks overstuffed and frayed you don’t like a world class traveler—only a worn out one.

How often should you update your wardrobe? My recommendation is at least once a year– twice a year for your most used pieces.

These five simple strategies will keep your wardrobe update process simple:

1. Your main pieces (jackets, suits etc.) have a life of about three years. This is especially true of ties for men. After three years you may be able to save a jacket or suit by altering it. This may be as simple as changing buttons to give the piece a new look. If the item is in mint condition, you might want to turn into another piece. For example, silk dresses can become blouses.

2. Keep your look simple and smart. I recommend mixing and matching neutral colors (black, brown, navy, and camel).You can accent by adding third color.

3. Only buy an item you if have four pieces in the closet that you can wear with it.

4. If you are going to buy an item but do not have anything in your wardrobe to wear with it, then buy all the companion pieces at the same time.

5. Be ruthless in getting rid of clothing that is frayed, spotted and worn no matter how attached you are to them.

If you follow these five strategies, it will make your wardrobe and your look current and very smart.

Personal branding is even more important today than it was ten years ago. If you are in transition or trying to maintain a job you currently have, you must do some value proposition branding. A value proposition states why you are valuable in the work place or why some one should give you a job.

If you’re uncertain about what your brand stands for, ask yourself this question– what three words define you when you think of yourself? Then ask someone else what three words they think of when you come to mind.

Do the two answers match?

It is very important to be crystal clear about your personal brand. After all, you’re its steward.

President Obama is a good example of possessing a brand when he ran for president. If you recall, it was change. The folks around him could possibly be better stewards in maintaining his brand. It will be good to study what they will do to retrieve it. In fact, the recently passed healthcare legislation, may begin the road back to his brand.

A personal brand today is critical to differentiating yourself from the crowd. So, craft your brand and get everyone to know and understand your value proposition.

There are now four different generations in the work place. Matures are born between 1925 to 1945; Boomers from 1946 to 1965; Gen X from 1966 to 1985, and Gen Y (also called Millennials) from 1986 to the present.

Here are seven tips that will enhance your credibility with generations X and Y:

• Use your phone or blackberry as a watch.
• Send e-mails or text messages instead of a voice mails.
• Have lunch with others at work and not at your desk.
• Talk about current events, not what happened ten years ago.
• Don’t dress in more than three layers of clothing.
• Be on LinkedIn and Facebook.
• Think green.

So, the idea is not necessarily to behave like a Millennial, but to make sure we are not acting like we are from another century!

The economy is tight right now but please continue to tip appropriately. These folks make their living through tips:

• Always tip between 15 and 20 percent on meals. If a light eater then 20 percent.

• Coats, valet service for cars always tip at least $2.00. For bags at airport, the standard is $2.00 for the first bag and $1.00 each bag afterwards. Consider giving $2.00 per bag when the weather conditions are at their worst.

• For cab drivers, $1.00 for a $6 dollar fair is recommended.

• 15% is the minimum for salons. An exception is when the services get to $200 or $300. Then you decide how you want to handle the tip but consider at least ten percent.

Tipping shows you not only that you appreciate their service but that you are world class professional.