How to manage professional image?

Question

At work, I tend to be a bit overpolite / overcautious when interacting with my colleagues. People tend to see me as a friendly and nice person and I interact with junior workers just like friends.

The drawback of this is that I may not been seen as an “aggressive person” who possess strong views. I also worry that being too close with juniors might create challenge in managing them in future.

How should I manage my professional image (i.e. the way people see me) at work? What is the right balance of being friendly with colleagues vs. treating it as a work relationship?

Thanks for sharing your experience!

Answer 1

Hi there,

I think this is an interesting question that may be relevant for many people. I would be happy to share my thoughts on it:

Managing your professional image at work can be challenging, especially when you are trying to balance being friendly with your colleagues while also maintaining a professional relationship. Here are a few tips to help you find the right balance:
- Set boundaries: It's important to have clear boundaries between your personal and professional relationships at work. This means being friendly and approachable, but also being assertive when necessary and not getting too close to your colleagues.
- Communicate effectively: Your communication style can play a big role in how people perceive you. Make sure you are clear and assertive when communicating with your colleagues, and avoid being overly polite or overly cautious.
- Lead by example: Show your team how to behave professionally. Be punctual, organized, and respectful, and they will follow.
- Be consistent: Be consistent in your behavior and attitude. People will come to rely on your consistency and professionalism, and that will help in building a good professional image.
- Be open to feedback: Ask your colleagues for feedback on how they perceive you and how you interact with them. This will give you valuable insight into how you are perceived and what areas you need to work on.
Ultimately, the right balance between being friendly and treating it as a work relationship will depend on your specific work environment and the culture of your organization. It's important to be aware of how your actions and interactions are perceived by others and make adjustments as necessary.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to address your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Answer 2

Hi there,

You might find the following article helpful:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/tips-for-consultants

It's important to understand that being friendly and approachable doesn't mean you can't also be assertive and confident in your abilities. You can still be a kind and supportive colleague while also communicating your ideas and opinions clearly and effectively.

One way to strike this balance is to set clear boundaries between your professional and personal relationships with colleagues. For example, you can still be friendly and social with your colleagues outside of work, but when it comes to work-related matters, you should approach your interactions with them in a more formal and professional manner.

Also, you can be a good listener, empathetic and supportive, but also be willing to give constructive feedback, set expectations and hold others accountable when necessary.

Additionally, you can work on developing your leadership skills and taking on more responsibilities within your team, as this can help to establish you as a respected and capable professional.

You might also consider coaching to help you with this, or find a work mentor, or simply observe how someone who “does it right” does it

Answer 3

Hi there,

That's such a great question! And it also shows such maturity from you that I doubt you'll have any challenge in managing younger colleagues.

I had similar concerns for myself and here are a few things that I found useful. Hope they'll help you two:

Be genuine. If you're a nice sort of person, who is friendly with others, don't try to pretend you're not like that. It will become quite obvious and it's unlikely you'll pull off the alternative image you're going for. Be who you truly are and find a way of being comfortable in your own skin. That's when most of your relationships will start flourishing.
See your 'niceness' as an asset. People will not disrespect you because you are friendly with them. In fact, they might be willing to support you further than they would have if there was only a professional relationship. Being nice can also help a lot with clients, most of which are turned off by the typical ‘aggressive’ consultant.
Seek feedback. Ask for specific feedback from both junior and senior colleagues especially on this topic. Also discuss this with your senior mentors in the firm.

Best,

Cristian

Answer 4

Hi there,

Don't try and be someone you're not. Instead, look at what makes you distinct as a strength, not a weakness.

For example, fundamentally friendly people are generally better at building trust based relationships, compared to overly assertive people, which is key in consulting.

However, if you feel you're too agreeable and basically a push-over, you might need some assertiveness training. Google the term and you'll find a bunch of useful resources.

Hope this helps. Best of luck!

Answer 5

It's difficult to completely be a “persona” during your whole working day. This means that you have to focus on a few key moments: meetings, serious interactions, when dealing with a tough deadline, and when with clients / partners, for example.

I think it's fine being friendly, but you have to convey that you put work and your responsibilities first.

Lastly, being a hard worker (even if you are goofy) and volunteering for responsibility can go a long way. Now that I think about it, shouldn't be “lastly” but the first thing in this answer.

Answer 6

The best & easiest way to manage your professional image is to develop following traits:

1. Show that you are willing and giving 100% to whatever you do. If you show too much unwillingness or fall short on your commitment, you wont go far

2. Be joyful and enjoy what you do. People (peers, juniors, bosses) want to work with and hang out with joyful people, not miserable people

3. Be authentic but adapt to the situation i.e. dont try to be aggressive all the time if thats not your natural style. But be prepared to be aggressive if the situation demands

4. Focus on doing high quality work. Rest will follow. Dont worry too much about factors not in your control e.g. what your colleagues do or dont do

5. Observe & learn the company culture and integrate with it as much as you can