The length of a human body is considered the distance from the bottom of the feet to the top of the head, standing erect. The average height of a man in the US is 5’10” and the average for a woman is 5’4”. So, it is amazing to me when most men think 6’is the magic number and for a woman it is 5’6”!

A good way to stand tall is to keep your posture in check. The first thing each morning put your back to the wall and make sure your shoulders and hips are aligned. Then walk maintaining this posture. Sitting straight in a chair with your back touching the back of the chair will ensure you are not slouching. It has been shown in studies that folks with good posture are considered more confident and exude more presence.

So many times folks complain they feel invisible at work social events. They often feel very uncomfortable. They feel ignored. They don’t like small talk because it feels trite.

Avoid that by being visible. That is, be in the moment and enjoy meeting people. I recommend going to a networking event at least twice a month with the purpose of honing these skills.

Bring up a great book, movie or play you have seen. Travel is always interesting to talk about especially when you can give tips to others about what you liked about the location. Always be the first to introduce yourself with a smile and a handshake. When you do this you will never be invisible.

How many folks do we know who live in a perpetual drama where everything is a crisis? We all have experienced a setback or hurt that is hard to get over. Or maybe a friend will drag us into their life and we become a participant of the drama.

Here are some guidelines that will help you avoid drama queen status.

1.It is acceptable to unload on a close friend or friends once or twice but be sure you ask their permission first.
2.Refrain from talking about your issue all the time.
3.Thank people politely when they ask how you are by replying “Thanks for asking.”

Remember these three tips and friends won’t feel like running in the opposite direction when they see you!

If not properly taken care of, sweat will leave yellow stains on shirts.

An article that appeared in the Wall Street Journal on May 11, 2011, highlighted some ways to remove stains from shirts. For example, Brian Johnson of the Dry-cleaning and Laundry Institute suggested that you wash the shirt instead of taking it to be dry-cleaned.

Also, PitStop removes yellow stains from cotton shirts. You can see how it works at
http://www.armpitstainremover.com.

Last year, President Obama showed graying hair but in a recent photo his hair is black. So, a recent magazine poll asked the question if the President should have kept his gray hair. 46% liked President Obama’s hair grey, 16% said he should dye it and the rest did not care.

Today, men are dyeing their hair because products in and out of the salon have become much better. In fact, it can be difficult to tell if a man’s is dyeing his hair.

To ensure a natural look, here are few things to remember:

• Select a dye close to your natural hair color. One way to do choose is to use a dye that is the color of your eyebrows.
• Go to a professional who is experienced working with color on men’s hair.
• Once you begin to dye your hair you must maintain it to look natural.

If men keep these key things in mind, their hair color will always look natural and appear ageless.

The April 28th, New York Times article, Tricks of the Trade, talks about “The Message a Man Sends With His Work Bag.” The article stresses the importance of the function and look of the work bag also known as a purse, briefcase or messenger bag.

Here are my Golden Rules for choosing a reliable work bag.

Golden Rule No.1
A brief case, tote bag or purse must compliment your clothing. It should not be the first thing noticed when someone sees you.

Golden Rule No. 2
Your bag of choice must be functional and easy to use. A good test when choosing the bag is to bring all the items you would carry in the bag to ensure it works before you buy it. Easy to use means: Is it easy to open and close? Will it stand up to everyday wear and tear?

Golden Rule No. 3
You must like the bag. Too often, folks purchase a bag because it works even though they are not really crazy about the look of it. A bag you carry is personal, especially a purse or brief case. You must like the way it presents your image.

Golden Rule No.4
You bag must look clean and well taken care of. Whether it is crafted of leather or microfiber, when it begins to look scratched, torn or bare as in the case of fabric thread, it must be retired.

Follow these 4 Golden Rules and the bag you choose will send the message you desire, become a trusted friend and serve you for a long time.

Often, we hold on to certain pieces of clothing because they are comfortable, mainstays in the wardrobe or because we cannot find a replacement just like it. So we hold on to it.

When seeking replacement clothing, look for something a bit different that will also add an updated look to your wardrobe.

Here are some tips about when to put clothing out to pasture:

• Stretched out in shoulder or arm area
• Baggy in the seat of the bottom
• Fabric has tiny balls of fuzz ( pilling)
• Color is washed out (very easy with dark colors)
• Fabric has become hard and stiff

Be diligent about removing clothing with these features from your wardrobe. If you do, you will always look fresh and polished.

What button and how many of them should be buttoned whether they are on a jacket, blouse or sweater?

For Men Only
Single Breasted Suit Jacket – Three buttons including the middle button
Double Breasted Suit Jacket – Always buttoned
Dress Shirt (no tie) – Leave the top two buttons unbuttoned
Sweater – Can be worn unbuttoned

For Women Only
Single Breasted Suit Jacket – Depends on the style of jacket – no hard and fast rules
Double Breasted Suit Jacket – Always buttoned
Shirt Blouses – Leave the top two or three buttons unbuttoned
Sweaters – Either leave the bottom or top button unbuttoned

Follow these guidelines and you will always look smart and elegant.

In a recent “The Good Wife” episode, Alicia Florrick was being coached by Eli Gold (Peter’s campaign manager), for an interview about her husband’s indiscretions.

He suggested that people do not always listen to words. They watch your facial expressions and body language. They want to know if you show confidence and look comfortable and sincere.

So, when you are being interviewed face to face, remember, it is more about body movement, facial expressions and a projection of sincerity. If you can convey this, your audience and interviewer will be engaged and connected to you.

Often, we do not have the opportunity for face to face meetings. Because of that, it is critical that your phone voice build a relationship with the person or persons on the other end.

Today I witnessed a client ace a phone interview which resulted in a job offer sixty minutes after the interview! Yes, the client had the technical knowledge and experience. However, as we know, jobs and the opportunity to interview are scarce these days. Now more than ever, it is the person who can create a relationship with trust who will land the job.

In this case, following are six elements my client used to engage the interviewer:

1. He opened with a thank you and closed with a thanks for the opportunity to be interviewed.
2. He repeated key questions to give time to think thoroughly before answering.
3. The interviewer was never interrupted.
4. He spoke with energy and passion about his leadership skills.
5. He spoke about what he would bring to the position and used key stories to paint the picture.
6. He commented on the interviewer’s key points by stating “I understand what you mean.”

Remember these six key elements and you will always engage the interviewer. And most likely, you will put yourself in prime position to get the job.