Task persons are individuals who are great at getting the job done. The areas where they need to pay attention are being more sensitive to the nuances of building relationships such as developing small talk as well as appropriate facial expressions and body language. These silent messages are critical to understanding and connecting to people.

Then, there are the people persons who are great at building relationships and connecting to the audience. Those folks never lack in the area of people skills but lack the skills to get the job done.

To help fully develop skills spend time with and observe those who are the opposite of you. You will learn to pick the skills you need to grow in a very balanced way.

Often, I am asked to work with folks who tend to ramble and say more than they should. The more they ramble, the less impact their message has.

A great example of this occurred today. A top candidate for a new role in a new company kept going on and on. I even interviewed him the day before and mentioned to him that he tends to go on too long, rambles and talks in circles.

He is a very qualified candidate and frankly, is the candidate of choice. In the interview, he was told what held him back was his rambling. The advice we gave him was to answer a question with a five or ten word description and then stop. Rambling indicates nervousness, lack of confidence and even a possible lack of knowledge.

If you tend to ramble, it is because you have not practiced your answers. A good way to practice is to write the answer on paper and edit it with three bullet points. This will definitely help curb your rambling.

Having modeled in my early career, I follow these tips to ensure my photo looks like me and shows me in the best possible light.

In a professional photo, check to see if there is a makeup artist tied to the studio that you can use. Otherwise, engage one for the shoot. The artists use a makeup especially designed for the camera.

Begin practicing by moving your mouth up and down at least 10 minutes before the photo shoot so you look relaxed when you smile. If you have any neck wrinkles they will be less noticeable if you stretch your chin out a bit. Your hair style should be natural. If you wear glasses all the time, your photo should include them.

When standing in a group photo, a sideways pose is best for a slimmer, thinner look.

Following these tips will help your photo turn out picture perfect.

We hear and read all the time of how important it is to have a social media presence. Using Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn will help give you more exposure. However, in the August 25th Chicago Tribune business section, columnist Rex Huppke of “I just Work Here”, writes about venting on anonymous websites. I agree and suggest taking it another step for Facebook which many folks, especially potential employers, read.

Below are what we might want to avoid doing on Facebook. Do not:

• Post too much personal stuff – it gives the impression you have a tremendous amount of free time – while at the office

• Post too revealing a personal picture, low cut tops or for men, hairy chests in skinny swim trunks (These belong on private sites or in People magazine.)

• Constantly brag about your business achievements

• Offer condescending advice

• Make fun of someone or something – leave that to Vanity Fair.com or People magazine

• Post negative comments in general

Keep your remarks positive and you will create engagement while providing a human touch which is what we want.

In today’s busy and virtual world, conference calls have become a must versus face to face meetings. I just completed a call that went 60 minutes (originally scheduled for 30 minutes) mainly because the group was not prepared.

They had not fully read the material and the leader had not set an agenda. Each of the participants (4) had their own set of questions and they spoke over one another. Poor reception was also a factor. (Two of the participants were in a car.)

• Always let the participants know if you are going to be in a car driving (which is a real no-no).

• If possible, be the only person on the call in your office.

• Always say your name before you speak.

• Always, after you speak, confirm everyone has heard you.

• Always agree to disagree.

• Always thank everyone when the call is finished.

• Always let everyone know your time constraints.

True etiquette is making the other person comfortable and allowing them to showcase their best.

A recent Facebook posting showed a woman having one foot up on the arm of the seat in front of her. Please! But maybe the women had a leg problem. I would have asked the flight attendant to move her to a row where there was an empty seat so she could put her foot up.

This brings me to men who take off their shoes and have a pronounced odor coming from their feet. I get it if is a long flight but ask for a pair of slippers or bring a pair with you.

Food smells are another problem. If you are going to bring food on the plane to eat choose items that do not have a strong odors. Be a good airline travel pal.

Most our interactions, including final business transactions, take place on the phone. Speaking clearly and succinctly is very critical for many reasons. Your tone of voice is important in showing confidence and asking the appropriate questions.

Most importantly, you need to be heard. A good way to practice is by partnering with a colleague so you can both practice a range of voices, tones and pronunciations. Your phone voice is just as important as your visual presence.

Recently, I worked with a middle manager who wanted to be considered the next Director in her group. However, she has a challenging time when receiving or giving critical feed because she cries easily.

A tip that helped her was taking a deep breath when she felt the urge to cry coming on. She partnered with a colleague to practice this technique which has helped her tremendously. Within six weeks of three times a week practice, she got dramatically better at managing tearing up during difficult conversations.

Cropped slacks are still much in the scene. I, myself, am not in favor of them for workplace. First of all, they can make you look shorter and cause your legs to appear stumpy. I understand the popularity of them, especially when you think about the nuisance of hemming pants. A nice alternative is the slim ankle length pant where you do not have to worry about the length. They can give the illusion of height and make you look at least five pounds thinner.

Is it appropriate to wear a white tuxedo jacket for a black tie event in the summer time? In the northern states black tuxedo jackets are still more the norm. An exception can be when that attire is requested. Also, in some country club settings, a white jacket is a favorite. The ones that are the most popular are the Shaw Collar styles. In the Caribbean, as you see in James Bond movies, white jackets are worn by most. When you are in doubt, check with the host of the event.