Global Image Group | Personal Shopper | Image Consultant

Image Consultant, Michelle T. Sterling, AICI, Founder of the Global Image Group and Sterling Style Academy, has been selected to join the exclusive network of the National Organization of Professional Women, www.napw.com.

NAPW is one of the most exclusive and rapidly growing associations of female executives, professionals, and entrepreneurs in the US. They span almost every industry, including health and medicine, education, advertising and public relations, manufacturing, publishing, communications, entertainment, law, and more.

“I am proud to have been selected for this exclusive membership and look forward to networking with the outstanding women within the NAPW group,” Michelle T. Sterling, AICI.   

Become the Total Package by Establishing Your Personal Brand Image:
Master The 7 Sterling Strategies to Style and Success
By Global Image Group

What is personal brand image? It’s you! Your presence is the total package, including how you dress, groom and communicate, and your image speaks to the world before you even say a word. Your image represents who you are and where you are going. Change your image and change your life!

Deepak Chopra states, “Self-power is permanent because it is based on the knowledge of the Self. It draws people to you, and it also draws things that you want to you. It magnetizes people, situations, and circumstances to support your desires.” The first step in developing your personal brand image starts with identifying your obstacles. Is it your appearance, your inner self-talk, or both? Developing your personal brand image is indeed a self-discovery and improvement process. Whether you need to overcome career, personal, or communication challenges, the solution lies within you and your internal dialogue.

Anderson Cooper, Katie Couric, and Gavin Newsom all have presence and exude their own personal brand image. As successful public figures they magnetically attract those who respect them rather than judge them.

Almost all successful people set goals and timelines to achieve them. We achieve what we plan to achieve. Therefore, people who don’t succeed don’t have precise goals. Life gives us exactly what we expect. It’s a balance between persistence and flexibility, so it’s necessary for us to make clear decisions. Doubt leads straight into failure. If you’ve been procrastinating from doing something, do it now. There is no better time than the present; that’s the power of now! Learning to trust your intuition is an art form. Focusing on the negative can distort your judgment and paralyze your actions. Therefore focus on reasons for success! Good energy comes from a healthy and positive self-image. The better your self-image, the more likely you’ll see your possibilities. Trust your intuition. Thoughts of service, lead to abundance, which leads to success. Remember to focus on growth!

Proactive business professionals today view themselves as if they are incorporated and market their talents accordingly. Just as a solid, viable product will die a slow death without consistent marketing, talented contributors can be ignored, overlooked, or never fully utilized without effective self-promotion.

At work, you are your brand and your look is your logo – it should send a clear message about who you are, what you have to offer, and where you want to go. Your task is to pinpoint the identity you want to have within your working environment and then dress to express it. Decide to put effort into choosing a wardrobe that reflects who you are, and you take control of your career and your life.

You’ve often heard people refer to themselves as the total package. However are they really the total package? When you work with Global Image Group, we take the guesswork out of packaging your presentation. The process first begins with a self-exploration of who you are and where you want to be. You can look the part but if you don’t act the part, you’re not the total package. And conversely, if you act the part and don’t look the part, doors will close before you.

Global Image Group’s 7 Sterling Strategies to Style and Success TM will lead you toward the path of unraveling your authentic image and projecting an image of excellence. Please contact us for more information regarding our 1.5 hour seminar Become the Total Package by Establishing Your Personal Brand Image - Master the 7 Sterling Strategies to Style and Success.

Schedule your summer sale appointments with an image consultant, personal stylist, or personal shopper in New York, San Francisco, LA, Washington DC, Miami, Chicago, Houston and Dallas to help you take advantage of all the summer sales.

Economic spending will help stimulate the economy as well as your wardrobe for all of you who have been good about saving all year.  There is nothing better than a bit of retail theraphy to lift your spirits and feel good about yourself.  So treat yourself to some shopping.  There have never been greater sales and more selection on contemporary and designer brand clothing than now! 

There are still great things in the stores, so contact an image consultant, personal shopper or personal stylist to help you make the right decisions on what to buy, what to wear and how to put it together according to your personal coloring, body type and lifestyle.

As seen on channelconnect.com

If you want to ensure your long term successful, you have to surround yourself with the right people. I hope these interviewing techniques help you a little bit the next time you are looking for your next All Star!

Behavioral-based questions allow you to examine an applicant’s work style and skills. These questions illustrate the applicant’s ability to resolve conflicts, lead teams, and build consensus. To ensure complete answers and make good hiring decisions, you must learn how to compose behavioral-based questions and analyze the candidate’s responses.

Composing Behavioral-Based Questions
Behavioral-based questions should be founded on the requirements of the job. If a job requires good organization, the interviewer should ask questions which reveal the candidate’s skill in this area.

The best way to do this is to compose a mock situation which requires the applicant to demonstrate the skill in question. The situation should show how the candidate resolved or would resolve the issue. This allows you to examine the candidate’s problem-solving skills and shows you how the candidate may have used his skills in the past. Past behavior is the best predictor of future performance.

Effective behavioral-based questions start with a request, such as: “Describe for me a time when…” or “Give me an example of how you …”. These questions seek to examine what actually happened in each situation.

Analyzing the Candidate’s Responses
Behavioral-based questions are not about a candidate’s education or technical expertise. These questions illustrate how people apply their knowledge and skills to real-life situations. For example, a telecommunications account representative needs to have the ability to build team work and consensus between many different departments within the company. In this situation, you might ask the following:

“Tell me about a time when you had to work with a person you didn’t like.”
“Give me a specific example of how you made a quick decision.”
“Give me an example of how you led a team when you were not the person in charge.”
“Describe a situation where you were required to go beyond your job description to get your job done.”
“Tell me how you dealt with a policy you disagreed with.”

The answers to these questions should be firmly based in real-life situations. As you listen to the candidate, you should pick-up on the candidate’s skills and approaches to problem-solving. But to properly assess the applicant, you need to make sure the candidate’s answers are complete. A complete answer should include:
A situation or problem requiring that specific skill.
The actions taken to handle the situation.
The eventual outcome of those actions.

Effective behavioral-based questions reveal the essential skills and work style of the candidate. To provide you with relevant information, your questions should be based on the job requirements and should reveal a candidate’s real-life problem-solving skills. By learning how to compose and analyze behavioral-based questions, you will be able to make a complete and accurate appraisal of each candidate’s suitability for the job.

Today’s world is a fast-paced, hypercompetitive, and increasingly technology driven; one where leaders are few and far between.  During tough times, people turn to strong leaders to guide them.   According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, many firms are increasing their investment in leadership training to navigate through the current economic crisis.  In order for leaders to be effective they must invest their time not only in their team, but in themselves. Image Consultant Michelle T. Sterling, Founder of Global Image Group, states that there are three things that leaders can keep in mind during these times.

“The best leaders are those who know how to manage both upward and downward.  Effective managers must remember that people that are valued have presence charisma, charm, and most importantly, confidence.  To be a strong leader means to exude executive presence.”

3 Tips for Effective Leadership

1.  The best leaders are those who know how to manage upward and downward.  According to Ms. Sterling, the best leaders are team players. Rather than looking at the shortcomings of your team members, list goals that you want them to achieve.  Once you have an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of each individual employee, mentor them and nurture their growth. In the 13 Fatal Errors Managers Make and How You Can Avoid Them, W. Steven Brown states that “Every forward-looking manager recognizes that the greatest untapped resource within a company is its peoples’ potential.” He also suggests that new employees receive classroom training in a group environment and continuous coaching and positive reinforcement of the desired behaviors. Just as you expect your employees to be accountable for their work, you must be personally accountable for your performance and manage it.  This leads to the next important tip.

2.  Valued employees have presence, charisma, charm, and most importantly, confidence.  A strong leader has the emotional maturity to recognize his or her faults. Mr. Brown notes that, “One of the essential attributes of a good leader is enough self-confidence to be able to admit his own mistakes and know that they won’t ruin him.” You can only be confident in what you know for a fact. Once you exude confidence in your abilities and knowledge, others will have the same confidence in you- it’s a simple science.  As Ms. Sterling states, “Presence, charm, and charisma along with confidence are characteristics of a well-rounded professional.”  It might sound like common sense, however being polite, developing good interpersonal skills and taking accountability for your actions are recognized and appreciated in both the business and social environments. People, particularly in business situations, develop confidence in leaders who are true to themselves and treat others with respect and appreciation. 

3. To be a persuasive, productive leader means to exude executive presence.  Executive presence combines image, communication, influence, behavior and authority to create a positive and memorable impression and impact in business situations. Your first impression should be your best impression, particularly since you only get one chance to make it. “Another important aspect of executive presence is developing your own personal brand image,” states Ms. Sterling.  “Create your own authentic brand that showcases your best attributes.” Also, when exuding executive presence you must be reliable and trustworthy. As aforementioned, effective managers have to earn trust and credibility from their peers and employees. Inherent in executive presence is consistency and reliability. Employees can concentrate on their performance and meeting your expectations when there is clear, consistent communication and leadership.

To learn more about effective leadership skills and improving your executive presence, register for Executive Impact.  This program uses an integrated approach to address the professional image and soft skills training management concerns of professionals worldwide. You and your employees will be able to convey authority, credibility, confidence and competence in all business situations.  Sharpen your leadership abilities through sessions on self-promotion and positioning, honing your image management skills and creating a strong and lasting first impression. Global Image Group offers additional corporate services that are designed to help your organization gain a competitive advantage through developing a unified corporate image and brand identity.

In this economy the productivity and output of a company is only as valuable as the people it employs. As the world is experiencing massive layoffs across a variety of industries, companies are using this opportunity to let go of under performers, those with poor interpersonal skills or those with challenging personalities.

Developing your executive presence and communication skills are vital to your success in any industry. The principles of being a good communicator and exuding executive presence are the same across all industries however the key in determining whether you are an asset or a liability to your firm is to first understand your behavioral communication style.

According to CEO Sales Solution, “Successful sales people value acceptance and they tend to thrive on being the center of attention. When someone else is advising or suggesting a different course of action, the spotlight is not focused on them. Change for them triggers a fear of failure or a fear of rejection. This person worries that the change may uncover their lack of skill or knowledge and cause them to be perceived as incompetent. They may be worried they will lose their job especially if there have been other factors (past poor performance) suggestive of termination. They may also feel slighted that they were not chosen to be the leader or if they are not directly brought into the mix early if they value power. Because they are consumed by their needs they cannot whole-heartedly see change as a positive step for the company or organization.”

Therefore the solution in developing this top sales performer is increased communication, incremental change, support and feedback. Little or no communication sets off the fear of the unknown and can make people feel out of control. If they are left with many questions and no answers, this can lead to panic and anxiety which can lead to revolt and insider back talking.

Global Image Group’s goal is to give you the tools you need to identify your strengthens and weaknesses as an employee and this begins with having a solid understanding of yourself. Many of our clients have dominant personalities, and while they do possess relatively strong interpersonal skills, their attention to detail - taking cautionary measures to ensure precision often times makes them empirical, frank and a challenge for those to work with who prefer a softer approach. At Global Image Group, our Executive Image and Communications Consultants are equipped to coach you on how to manage situations with others so that working with you is always a win-win for both parties. We encourage you to take this journey of self-discovery and perhaps you’ll find it will increase your communication success in your personal life too.

Spring is a time often ascribed to cleaning out the closets, drawers and de-cluttering the house.  In relation to one’s wardrobe, this may not be the most appealing thing, especially when you have deal with potentially parting with clothes. On the other hand, spring cleaning can be an opportunity to reinvigorate your life and wardrobe. By de-cluttering and organizing, you can make room for your spring items!

Spring Cleaning Benefits
1. It can remove negative, excess baggage from your life.
2. It can remove stress by creating a peaceful living environment.
3. It feels liberating and refreshing.
4. It creates space for what is really needed and valued.

Tips for Organizing and Updating your Wardrobe

1. Completely Assess Your Wardrobe
Be honest when evaluating the need and use of the items in your closet. Grab a strong bag in your closet to place items that are obsolete- too old, do not fit at all or just “not you anymore”- to donate to a worthy cause. When evaluating your closet, Wardrobe Consultant Michelle T. Sterling recommends pulling out all the items in your closet and sorting them by color on a rolling rack. This will help you really see what you have. Create a pile or another bag for items that need to be dry-cleaned or tailored.

Ask yourself the following:
• Has anything shrunk?
• Is anything faded?
• Do I have my classic pieces, and do they still fit appropriately?
• Does anything need to be altered or dry-cleaned?
• Is there anything that you have not worn in more than a year? If you cannot remember the last time that you wore the outfit or item then it is safe to get rid of it.
• Are any of my accessories damaged or too tangled to salvage?

Once you assess your wardrobe, you will find that you have an abundance of space for new and existing clothes and items.

2. Every Item Should Have A Special Place
Once you have de-cluttered the closet, you can move on to making it more aesthetically appealing and functional. When everything has a place, nothing ends up missing and time is saved! Use multi-purpose hangers for your wardrobe that have clips for skirts and hooks for those hard to hang items. To go one step further, you can color code your clothing to make it even easier for you to find items when you are low on time. Purchase storage boxes from a store such as The Container Store to place smaller items such as scarves, belts, and other items. If you have minimal space for shoes, invest in a shoe rack that can be placed on the closet door or in the back of the closet. Another idea would be to place shoes boxes in a drawer under your bed to save space. Winter clothes should be stored away for future use.

3. Introduce New Items with an Aim to Maintain
It is really quite simple. Whether you are a stay-at-home mother or a CFO, it is oftentimes difficult to carve out extra time. However, one easy thing that you can do is always put things back in place after use, you will save time in the long run. If needed, you can set aside 5 minutes a day to make sure that everything is in its place. When introducing new items to your wardrobe, make sure that you have the proper hangers or containers to support the item.

For further one-on-one assistance, please contact a Global Image Group Consultant today!

Seguramente se han dado cuenta de las tantas visitas oficiales que han asistido y que han recibido  El Presidente Felipe Calderón y su esposa La Primera Dama Margarita Zavala. Que me tiene ella en plena admiración, siendo una mujer  encantadora, culta, inteligente, elegante y con gran carisma pero sobretodo que se distingue por su sencillez, lo cual hace que resalte su belleza.

En su primera visita oficial al Reino Unido La Reina Isabel II y su esposo el duque de Edimburgo, dieron la solemne bienvenida a nuestro Presidente Felipe Calderón y a su esposa Margarita Zavala.

Orgullosamente mexicana, llevaba un vestido diseñado por Macario Jiménez  con aplique de flores bordadas típicas de Zinacantán (Chiapas). Adornaba el conjunto un rebozo en seda de todos rosas de San Luis Potosí y unos aretes que La Primera Dama compro en el bazar benéfico  de la asociación Gilberto, de delicada artesanía oaxaqueña.

Margarita quien la nombraron como “embajadora” de la moda por destacar con su natural esplendor, hizo alarde con su buen gusto representando a grandes diseñadores y artesanos mexicanos, quienes dejo entrar por la puerta grande, en el propio palacio de Buckingham.

Gracias Doña Zavala por representar ¡orgullosamente a México!  Karina Muzquiz, Global Image Group Mexico

During slow economic times, we recommend purchasing investment, classic pieces like this Louis Vuitton Monogram Vernis Alma bag to freshen up your wardrobe for the season.  Banish the winter blues – and blacks, grays and tans – with a dose of uplifting colour.  Orange is one of season’s standouts.  Pair it with tan, white or brown to spice up those neutrals.  Try it with a crisp white shirt, cigarette pants and your favorite flats for a weekend yummy, mummy look. - Your Hong Kong Image Consultant and Personal Shopper

If you’ve always wanted to be a fashion consultant, image consultant or personal shopper, please click on Hong Kong Image Consultant Training for more information.

During tough economic times, London Fashionistas are opting for Crashion (aka. Economic Crash Fashion) vs. Fashion to get their style fix for the season and still look like a celebrity.

To get this celebrity’s look, our London Image Consultant and Personal Shopper recommends selecting this outfit from Miss Selfridges.

If you’ve always wanted to be a style advisor, image consultant or personal shopper, please click on London Image Consultant Training for more information.