GUEST BLOG ENTRY BY LISA OLSEN, OFFICE DYNAMICS CERTIFIED TRAINER/SPEAKER
Need to show strength and savvy when the pressure is on? There are six characteristics of professional presence that will help you shine as an administrative assistant. Today’s blog will cover the first 3. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s blog entry for the second half.
1. Self-confidence – Assess yourself realistically. Balance the positives and the negatives and focus on what you are, not what you aren’t. If someone asks you “What’s your major asset?” – the answer is not a body part! Instead, you should feel comfortable answering with a strength, attribute or skill that sets you apart. Self-confidence is a feeling of knowing who you are. Work on reaching a comfort level. Sometimes you have to fake it – if you don’t feel poised, act poised until you do. Say to yourself, “It’s true I’m not self-confident in that situation, but I am self-confident in this situation.” Focus on your strengths whenever you are trying to change an undesirable trait.
2. Comfort with uncertainty – Most of us like to feel we are in control. But there’s a difference between self-control and control of others. The more self-confidence we have, the less we feel a need to control others. Those with internal control accept what they can’t change. But individuals who have trouble coping with uncertainty continuously try to control things that they can’t. To grow more comfortable with uncertainty, don’t plan everything. Practice behaviors where you can demonstrate more openness to change. Tackle tasks that challenge you to cope with ambiguity and uncertainty.
3. Integrity – To develop your integrity, say “no” to impulsive urges – and I’m not talking about chocolate cake! A good rule of thumb is: If you feel you have to say something right away to get it off your chest, don’t. Those with integrity take a minute to reflect before giving into an impulse. In every communication you make, try to find a point of agreement. Those with professional presence use collaboration and cooperation whenever they can as they work with others.
In order to put these attributes into practice, it might be necessary to slow down a bit in order to progress in these areas. Sound confusing? The story of a little hummingbird might help. There was a hummingbird who got caught in an open garage. The little bird tried desperately to find an escape, but it was consistently darting and flying around the top of the garage. It kept hitting the ceiling and continued to get disoriented. Eventually, the little bird simply exhausted itself and fell to the garage floor. In its effort to escape it kept flying harder and faster around the ceiling, when all it had to do was slow down and see the open space to freedom. In order to move forward, sometimes we simply have to slow down.
It’s true in our life and careers as well. Do you want to develop your professional presence? If so, then take some time to slow down and assess areas that need attention. Don’t get caught like the little hummingbird.
Lisa Olsen