Other things being equal, people more easily accept the position of the person towards whom they experience an emotionally positive attitude, and vice versa, it is more difficult to accept (and often reject) the position of the person towards whom they experience an emotionally negative attitude. Many individuals naturally have an attractive image, endowed with charm. To a large extent, our initial impression of other people is based on their external data. However, the lack of visual appeal should not hinder the creation of a favorable image. Charm is not so much a visual appeal, but a fullness of trust, a spiritual disposition towards people.

Image (from the English image - image) is usually understood as a formed image of a business person (organization), in which value characteristics and traits that have a certain impact on others are distinguished. The image is formed in the course of personal contacts of a person, based on the opinions expressed about him by others.

Gaining an attractive image is not an end in itself, but mastering it is a very significant personal and professional characteristic. The desire to cooperate with a specific person or company largely depends on the image. An attractive image is one of the determinants of business success.

Recently, more and more managers are realizing the need to work on their own image. The formation of a positive image of an organization, person or product is one of the pressing problems of social and economic life in modern Russia.

Image of a modern leader

Image is a complex education that consists of many components. It is difficult to acquire a good reputation, it takes years, and you can lose it instantly, and often because of a trifle: not answering a phone call or letter in time, not sending a fax, which is expected, showing bad manners in any form.

Everything is important for an attractive image - the culture of speech, the manner of dressing, and the interior of the office.

It is difficult for an individual with bad taste to count on a favorable impression. Overconfidence and stereotypical behavior negatively affect other people's perception of a person who is interested in recognition and self-acceptance. In all countries, the code of conduct for a well-bred person includes at least four basic rules: politeness, naturalness, dignity, tact.

Businessmen around the world are almost unanimous about the three most preferred properties of a potential business partner - competence, decency and reliability.

It is these qualities that ensure the main thing in business relationships - their predictability, the ability to rely on a partner, confidence in his commitment. They are highly regarded all over the world, as they are an indispensable condition for successful, fruitful business relationships - mutual trust.

As a rule, people's sympathies are acquired not only due to innate qualities, but also due to the ability to present themselves.

The business image is more and more often specially designed in the interests of a person or a company, taking into account the peculiarities of the activity, internal merits, qualities and characteristics of the image carrier.

In many cases, the image is the result of a skillful orientation in a specific situation, the correct choice of a model of behavior.

The choice of a model of behavior is the reproduction of such behaviors that, in everyday communication, help a person become attractive.

Among the many models, there are those that become the subject of special study. First of all, these are etiquette models (etiquette).

The interaction of people, including business, in various situations has long been regulated and ordered by the norms and rules of etiquette.

Etiquette is a set of rules of behavior that regulate the external manifestations of human relationships (dealing with others, forms of communication and greetings, behavior in public places, manners and clothing). Etiquette, like communication, can be roughly divided into business and informal.

Business etiquette regulates the behavior of people related to the performance of their official duties.

Unofficial (secular) etiquette regulates communication in the field of leisure and meeting material and spiritual needs (when eating, choosing items of clothing, organizing celebrations, attending theater performances, concerts, sports shows, etc.).

Due to the presence in the program of official events of business receptions, performances of artists, it is difficult to clearly separate business and unofficial etiquette.

Diplomatic protocol and etiquette are distinguished by orderliness and rigor.

Business protocol and etiquette in general, aimed at a wide range of business people, are more flexible and less formalized.

At all times there have been and are people with different attitudes to etiquette. This attitude depended and depends on the upbringing, education and development of the moral needs of the individual, which presuppose the presence of a desire for a moral attitude towards oneself on the part of others and the same desire to treat people morally. Good knowledge and compliance with the rules of etiquette is one of the components of an attractive image.

The attitude to etiquette among the emerging new layer of business people, whose activities are related to private business and entrepreneurship, still leaves much to be desired. Meanwhile, the transition from the initial (often criminal or semi-criminal) forms of market relations to civilized ones will more and more actualize the importance and fulfillment of the norms of both business and secular etiquette, largely due to developing international contacts.

The psychology of a Western businessman is programmed for a partner who inspires confidence in how he is dressed, combed, what car he drives, and whether he is punctual. Then other parameters are already assessed - loyalty to their obligations, qualifications, ability to do business.

Abroad, there is no doubt about the need to create the image of a company or a business person, and ignoring the rules of etiquette by business people in a cultural business environment causes a negative attitude. For international contacts to become sustainable ties, business people need to accept and abide by the established "rules of the game" based on business etiquette

The mechanism of image formation.

Formation of the leader's image can go in two ways: spontaneously (spontaneously) or purposefully. In the first case, this is a natural process that takes place without external pressure, one of the results of which is the formation of a person as an individual. The leader is the person who he really is (or who he is easiest to be). An image of this kind does not require changes if it is harmoniously combined with the characteristics of the organizational culture and the position held. Typically, this situation occurs when a person occupies the post of a leader as a result of a long vertical and horizontal career in one organization (this practice is widespread in Japan, but the Japanese do not hold leading positions until sixty years).

The second way involves active formation, which is necessary if:

the leader is “alien” in relation to the organization (in the case of crisis management);

the leader does not have much management experience;

there are conflict points in the personnel management system;

the size of the organization is so large that employees cannot form an adequate idea of ​​the activities of the manager and his personality (and this leads to a decrease in labor motivation);

there are external reasons for creating an image of the head as a kind of analogue of the "trade mark" of the enterprise.

Here, the creation of an image is associated with putting on a mask, and success in this case is due to two main factors: how correctly the mask is chosen, and how close it is to the personality of the leader himself. The correct choice of the mask depends on how the image will correspond to the type of corporate culture and, therefore, how effective it will be. The second factor affects the speed and ease of the image formation process, and is also a prerequisite for the harmonious incorporation of the mask into the structure of the leader's personality.

The process of artificial formation of the image is most often associated with the holding of special events and procedures for individual and organizational work and requires a thorough analysis of the internal conditions of the organization's life.

Clothes and hairstyle play a very significant role in creating an image. Each person, as if imitating the producers of goods, seeks to "present" himself in a certain "package" in order to draw attention to himself, to his inner world and abilities. It is known that more attention is deliberately paid to the appearance than to other components of the image. Fashion, the cosmetics and health industries provide a wealth of information and offer a colossal variety of products and services that help improve your appearance. Magazines and newspapers are full of advice on clothing and hair, cosmetics, etc.

An observant person can draw a conclusion about his inner image, personal values, and even subconscious decisions based on his clothes and hairstyle.

Most people these days understand how important looks are. Contrary to pre-existing beliefs, intelligence, ability and good looks are compatible with each other. Many people are so busy with their family and work that they don't have time to take care of their appearance. They are encouraged to use a utilitarian approach, which is to assess the value of appearance in terms of importance in a particular situation. By formulating the basic principles and developing certain habits, it will be possible for these people to pay attention to other things as well. If you take some time to think about what suits you best, you won't need to spend a lot of time to achieve the desired result. Appearance should be considered as a necessary mechanism to achieve your goals.