Monday, 15 June 2015

Enjoy the Monsoon Showers with the Basics of Umbrella Etiquette


With monsoon rains soaring high, an umbrella becomes a necessity. However, you must make sure that it is just an anti-rain device and not a weapon. You must use it properly so that it doesn’t hurt people near your vicinity and at the same time keep you dry. Following are a few guidelines on proper umbrella etiquette:

Be Size Wise-



No matter whether you are on a less crowded street or a crowded one, unless you are sharing your umbrella with anyone, always choose to use a medium sized one.

Stay Dry! Tips to the Heavenly Showers-

Umbrellas are meant for giving you shelter from those drenching droplets and hence should be held upright always. You must be mindful when looking up and avoid tilting your umbrella backwards. While walking against the blow of rain, do not tilt it forward. If by any case the blowing wind doesn’t allow you to follow these rules, opt for a raincoat or a cab ride instead.

Maneuvering is Necessary-



Even if you have a proper sized umbrella, a little maneuvering will be necessary particularly for a crowded city-walk. Individuals with a tall height are expected to raise their umbrella while approaching others.

Let Others Walk under Canopies-

Don’t thrash others who didn’t have the foresight to carry umbrellas; be polite and let them walk under canopies while you walk on the rain-exposed area.

Create it a “No-Cell-Phone Zone”-

Use of cell-phones can lead to frequent collisions for umbrella carriers. To avoid those annoying hits, create a no-phone-zone while walking and be mindful about your surroundings.

Don’t Drip, Just Tap a Bit-



Before entering indoors, step aside from the gateway and tap your umbrella a bit to avoid dripping to some extent. It would be appreciated if you put the closed umbrella in a holder to stop dripping completely.

No Fuss inside the Bus-

Remember no one wants to get wet on a rainy day. Before boarding a bus, tap your umbrella and put it inside the plastic holder to avoid dripping and wet others. Your umbrella hasn’t bought a ticket to occupy a seat and wet the surroundings. Better let it be inside.  

Monday, 1 June 2015

Mentoring- The Perfect Way To Shape Your Careers


In the competitive environment of the corporate world, precise soft skills training provides the scope to take your careers to great heights.  At The Image Shoppe, we provide a comprehensive array of soft skills training programs which make you ready for the various challenges ahead.

Mentoring is one of the best ways to shape your career and excel at the helm of the best opportunity.  When you are working in a team environment, it is quite imperative to mentor your team members accordingly and make them ready for the stiff competition.

We have a core team which offers professional workshops to the team members where premier concepts about mentoring are shared. Multiple level of learning, practice and application are followed during the term of implementing the programs.


When a team mentoring session is organized by our experts, a lot of emphasis on practical sessions is provided. The team members get to interact with each other and learn the various traits related to leadership authentication programs.  A variety of organizational benefits can be achieved through these mentoring programs and can be termed as follows:
Improved Organizational Performance

Effective coaching and mentoring interventions ensure performances of individuals are improved. This in turn directly impacts the performance of organization as a whole. 

Superior Interpersonal & Inter-departmental Coordination

Through coaching and mentoring training session’s employees learn to become interdependent. These interventions develop the maturity to understand the pressures that their colleagues go through and empathize with them.

Increased Ability to Take On Greater Challenges 

When employee’s skills are developed their potential is enhanced and moves the organization forward. This allows the organization to explore unexplored paths, which in turn creates greater opportunities and heightened business results.

Higher Levels of Staff Retention

Coaching and mentoring training interventions ensures that a culture of learning is established within the organization. When individuals experience holistic development, they begin to feel a sense of ownership towards the organization. They start feeling that it is a great place to work. Researches show that more than 60% of skills learnt from one-on-one coaching & mentoring interventions in an organization has the highest transfer of knowledge. 

We are here to take care of your overall career development with the implementation of these mentoring programs which takes you a long way forward. Get in touch with us today, shape up your careers in the right way and add the much needed extra dimension. 

Wednesday, 20 May 2015

Empathy At Work – Build Your Soft Skills With Image Shoppe


Image Shoppe is one of the premier softskills training providers which offers a comprehensive array of soft skills development programs to individuals and corporates. We are experts in formulating and conducting training programs pertaining to highest standards and emphasize on the empathy at work dictum.  While focusing on the various aspects of image consultancy training, empathy at work stands out as one of the most important assets one should work on.

We encourage you to follow a few simple steps and put the soft skill of empathy at work to effective use. As an employee of an organization, you always need to work in a team environment. Empathy at work arouses of the fact that you need to understand the emotion of the person working alongside you. He or she might be your colleague and you always need to think beyond yourself to emerge successful in  adopting this particular soft skill.

1.       Put aside your view point, and try to see things from the other person's point of view
When you do this, you will realize that other people most likely aren't being evil, unkind, stubborn, or unreasonable – they are  probably just reacting to the situation with the knowledge they have.

2.       Validate the other person's perspective
Once you "see" why others believe what they believe, acknowledge it.  Always remember that acknowledgement does not always equal agreement. You can accept that people have different opinions from your own, and that they may have good reason to hold those opinions for a long period of time.

3.       Examine your attitude
Are you more concerned with getting your way, winning, or being right? Or is your priority to find a solution, build relationships, and accept others? Without an open mind and attitude, you probably would not have enough room for empathy.

 We at Image Shoppe always encourage you to adopt the soft skill of empathy at work and cross all the barriers which come your way.
  

Tuesday, 12 May 2015

Fashion Tips For A Cool Breezy Monsoon



Alright, rain finally hits India and you don’t want a messy monsoon. Right? Although, you are relieved from the scorching rise in mercury but it is the trickiest time in terms of dressing fashionably. However, this blog will prove it a myth by putting forth some awesome tips that promises both comfort and style. All you need is to hold the right attitude to carry yourself perfectly.

There are a lot of factors that determine how smart you are with respect to the clothes you choose to drape. These days, people judge by the brands you wear because it acts as an eye-catching statement to create the first impression. Thus, to enhance your first impression, follow the below mentioned monsoon fashion tips.

 Denims can do wonders if chosen correctly-




Classic and comfy, denims are a popular choice both for men and women in a drenching monsoon day. What’s essential is the right fit of your jeans. The month of July-August marks a high humidity in the air that leads to sweating. Thus, it is advised to avoid draping straight fitted or too fitted denims as they tend to stick to your skin causing irritation. Such outfits can be quite uncomfortable particularly if you get drenched in the rain.

‘Color’ something that shouldn’t be ignored when it comes to denims. No matter how much you care your light blue faded jeans, you cannot help it get stained due to the muddy puddles and water everywhere. Therefore, light colored jeans are just a No for this season. Instead you can opt for dark colored denims which are a perfect choice indeed.

Feel like a breeze! Put on those loose Tees-



Light and comfy loose fitting bright colored opaque Tees are a must have in your monsoon wardrobe. This type of clothes is recommended because they are not only breathable but also dries easily. Opt for the comfortable tees with funky prints in vibrant shades to complement a gloomy rainy day. Ideal for style-conscious teenagers as well as happy go lucky individuals, these can be best paired with the above mentioned denims. A getup that is good to go in the rain.

Raincoats with cool colors are also a good choice to look fashionable for the monsoon months.

Short western outfits- A more comfy approach to monsoon



Invest in short western outfits such as skirts, knee length harem pants and shorts. They act as a savior on a wet humid day. You can also go for ankle or three fourth length colorful silk pants and play suits in case you do not prefer to expose your legs too much.

Feel light, go with the bright-



Always go for bright coloured fabrics that are light in weight and hence can dry off easily. Frocks, maxi dresses and knee length gowns can be the perfect monsoon wears. Avoid light colours that get dirty easily. Say ‘No’ to tight fitting dresses as they will make your movements stiff and uncomfortable. Prefer a knee-length dress of your favourite colour. Sometimes you just have to shove off your summer brights in favor of a deeper color.



A black dress does not always mean dreary; in fact, whether you like it or not, your LBD will never be out of fashion. All thanks to Coco Chanel, LBD first appeared in 1926, and it has been the ultimate fashion staple since then.

Frizzy hair? No worries! Follow some homemade remedies-



Monsoon steals moisture from your hair making it frizzy and unmanageable. Try some easy and effective homemade remedies for a smooth and silky feel. Apply a paste of two bananas mixed with honey for about an hour. This will help to moisturize your hair and keep it soft. You may also apply lemon juice on your scalp for 15 minutes and then wash it off. This ensures an oil-free scalp. Aloe Vera gel is ideal for treating dandruff, split ends and hair fall in this season as it restores the pH balance. Reduced hair bacteria and relieves scalp itching.

Wednesday, 22 April 2015

The Way We Say “Hello” Matters (Telephone Etiquettes)



In the global world of business, telephone etiquettes matter a lot, especially for job profiles like receptionist, marketing, telecalling, etc. Even though businesses are mostly conducted via internet but that doesn’t mean telephone conversation is an obsolete idea. 

Telephone was and will always be an integral part of office skill profiles where you have to handle different customers by making them feel well informed and appreciated. No matter whether you are an executive secretary or a front office receptionist, the following etiquettes will always help you to deal any kind of circumstances conveniently via telephone.

Clarity is at priority-

A picture can paint a thousand words but while attending a call always remember that the caller on the other end can only hear your voice. He/she cannot visualize your face or body language. Thus, it is important to speak with utmost clarity. A professional voice should be clear, smart and polite all the way.

Try not to make your tone sound artificial-

Always make sure to use your normal tone when it comes to a telephonic conversation. Artificial voice tone often seems humorous and false to the caller on the other side. Avoid loud voices as this may irritate others.

Kickoff the habit of munching or sipping when on a call-



Never munch or sip on anything while you are on a call. Such weird noises can disturb the flow of a conversation by frequent interruptions.

Etiquette of addressing a caller-

Address the caller by his or her title, for example- Good Morning Mr. Joseph or Good Afternoon Mrs. Gomes, etc. In the case of an unfamiliar caller, always ask for his/her identity in a polite way, for example, “May I know your good name? Or May I know whom I am speaking to?”

Patience is the fruit of success-
 

When responding to a professional call, be a patient listener. Always allow your client to speak his words first because in this case he takes the ace position. While taking a message, it is always a good approach to repeat the information back to the client. Before disconnecting the call, make it a point to verify the transcribed message for accuracy purposes.

Thursday, 9 April 2015

Key To The Success Of Personality Development


Having an impressive persona certainly has an added advantage in the competitive corporate culture. It is essential to enhance the various traits of your personality and emerge as a winner amidst this immense competition.

As per the directives of experts, proper soft skill training certainly has a role to play in building your personality and enhances your image in the hardcore corporate sector. You would certainly want to grab attention with your functional skills and stand out as an iconic individual who can overcome every challenge.

Enhance your Persona with Emotional Intelligence

Where developing your personality is concerned, you can easily get in touch with professional soft skill trainers who will show you the pathway to success. These industry oriented trainers possess huge experience and deal with the various traits of offering training in a very precise way.  For instance, you can enhance your personality with a very effective method termed as emotional intelligence.

As per the emotional intelligence method, you are encouraged to study the psychology of others around. This is a very specialized technique and involves acute practice as per the prescribed methods.  A variety of human understanding of different issues are involved in this regard.

Build Your Attitude

Building a variety of attitudes and attributes also plays a pivotal role in personality development through soft skills training. Having a positive attitude before undertaking any kind of work is hugely important. It takes you a long way in achieving your dreams and touches the zenith of excellence.

 Develop Self Confidence


As per the suggestions of soft skills training experts, it is also quite important to develop your self confidence. A variety of group discussion sessions are held where you can participate and come out with a vociferous idea. These debates or group discussions allow you to speak about particular topics which certainly enhance the level of your personality.

Improving Communication Skills


Improving your communication skills in various languages also acts as a cornerstone to your success. If you are a good communicator, it is quite easy to win the hearts of others around you. You can create an immediate impression on the minds of your audience and have a concrete presence.

When all these skills, blend into your persona, it automatically reflects an all new stature of its own. You can stand out as a transformed individual who aspires for success all the time. 

Thursday, 2 April 2015

The Etiquette of Introduction-Turn a Simple Greet into a Beautiful Moment


The way of introducing people is an art in itself. It also acts as a means of ensuring good etiquettes. A decent introduction can help people embark upon a great conversation which can in turn ease any discomfort or hesitation during a first time interaction. While making an introduction, the first thing to figure out is who should be introduced to whom on the basis of rank and authority. Once you have successfully figured this out, you can easily conduct an interesting greeting with a great conversation.

Wait for the right time-



When you are about to introduce people to each other, it is essential to get the timing right. Of course you will never want to spoil a meeting just by making a wrong introduction or by interrupting a smooth conversation just to get over the details.

If you find yourself in a situation where you are interacting with two people who don’t know each other, try to introduce the unknown individuals as soon as possible. After the introduction, you should always attempt to bring both of them in the comfort zone of interaction. The perfect approach would be to get involved in a common topic of interest. This will keep away all awkward conditions without the hit of boredom.

Avoid introducing any individual to people who are involved in a serious conversation. For example, you might have to introduce a person to your boss who is extremely busy discussing on some major issues. To avoid any kind of hard hits from your boss, it is better to be patient and wait until the discussion reaches its end.

Figuring out the person who have got a higher rank in social & business settings-

The rule is that the person with lesser rank is introduced to the individual with higher rank. Now when it comes to an introduction, gender takes the ace position. Generally in a social gathering, women take the priority over men unless the male is considerably older than the female. After gender, age is a factor that decides priority. In other words, the younger individual is generally introduced to the older one. When the same thing occurs in a business setting, position determines the authority.

The correct art of making formal & informal introductions-

Generally formal introductions are made either on a work place or on a business party. While making formal greetings it is essential to address with both the first and last name of a person. Also try to use sober phrases such as “I would like to introduce Mr. X” or “Have you met Mr. X” and many alike.
The reverse is the case when you put yourself in a casual setting with informal introductions. Here you can address the introducers directly with their first names. Such a setting allows you to bother less about sober phrases and other formal etiquettes.