Image@Work Club

One summer when I was working in an office, one of my coworkers was planning her wedding. Sometimes I wondered if more of her office time wasn't spent on that, rather than actual work. She would sit at her desk and have long phone conversations with her mom and bridesmaids about all kinds of wedding details, while the rest of us desperately tried to focus on getting our work done. (I also wondered what the company thought when the phone bills arrived, since her parents lived in another state!)

People often arrive at networking events late because the thought of talking to strangers makes them uncomfortable, but it doesn't need to be that way. Instead, focus on the concept of "six degrees of separation" and think to yourself, "I wonder what fascinating person I might meet at this event today?"

You probably heard the news story about the man who sued his drycleaner because they lost his favorite pair of pants. Now if you're like me, you were probably thinking that this guy needed to "get a life." What pair of pants could possibly be worth $54 million?

Fortunately, the judge in the case agreed and denied the man's claims. But it does bring up some important points regarding drycleaning.

Body language can say a lot about you. It's a strong form of non-verbal communication, and includes the way you walk, gesture, make eye contact, and position your body. It provides insight into your feelings, attitudes and respect for others. So here are some body language basics that you can use to be better prepared for your next interaction with co-workers or clients. By understanding proper body language, you'll not only be able to control the impression you're making, but also better able to interpret the signals others are sending to you.

Many women have told me over the years that they wear the same basic necklace and earrings every day because it's easier than trying to find creative, signature accessories. So how can you find the perfect accessory to complete an outfit?

If you're like me, you probably have a love/hate attitude about shopping for shoes. Sure, they may look good (and feel great) while you're in the store, but they're just never quite the same once you're out in the real world!

For years, I've heard a statistic that women who wear makeup earn 20-30% more than those who don't, but never really knew where it came from. Recently, I came across some research that shed a bit of light on this topic.

Cell phones -– How did we ever survive without them? But unfortunately with each new technology comes a whole new set of bad manners, and cell phones have certainly brought out the worst in some people.

Quiz

Lately I've noticed what poor communication skills many otherwise professional people have. A person can run a multi-million dollar company, yet not write complete sentences! Sometimes, they have an assistant to "clean up" their communications, and other times they hire a professional copywriter.

While the skill of writing may not be shared by everyone, anyone can work on basic language skills such as spelling and grammar. This includes all forms of communication, such as writing, e-mail and speech.