Image (from the English word image - "representation", "image") is not who a person is in reality, not an expression of his real personal qualities, but an image that is created in the perception of a person by those around him. It is believed that the correct approach to the formation of your image is the key to the success of an individual. This is especially true of public figures: leaders, politicians, businessmen, company directors, representatives of show business. However, image is important for any person.
Components of a person's image
A person's image is made up of various components. Moreover, what is very important, they must all be coordinated with each other.
The external image of a person is a hairstyle, clothing, accessories and other attributes (piercings, tattoos, etc.) that can tell a lot about their owner. Clothes can tell a few words for a person before he opens his mouth.
In addition, you need to pay attention to personal hygiene and a well-groomed appearance. People around you pay attention to trimmed clean nails, fresh breath, no dandruff on the head, clean-shaven face in men, neat makeup in women, and much more. A person's image is primarily influenced by his appearance. Therefore, you need to constantly take care of yourself, do not forget that grooming is appreciated by people first of all.
The mimic image of a person is a facial expression, smile, facial expression. Nothing reflects the feelings and impulses of a person's soul as his gaze and facial expression.
It is worth examining your face in front of the mirror, finding out what happens to the eyebrows, lips and forehead at the time of uttering a variety of emotionally (funny, benevolent, funny, sad, tragic, contemptuous, etc.) phrases. You should monitor how much facial expressions change, whether it correctly conveys emotions that correspond to phrases.
The kinetic image of a person is posture and gait, gestures and movements. People who walk with a pompous look, walk skipping with a shuffling gait, stoop, make a negative impression on others. Also, a person can make an unfavorable impression if he sits in a chair, shrinking, or with his leg thrown over the armrest or in another inappropriate position.
Various closed positions (for example, folded arms on the chest and gestures of protection) also often push people away. You need to walk and sit straight, but without tension. If your posture and gait are far from ideal, it is helpful to engage in special exercises or dancing, this should help.
The verbal image is expressed in the voice, in a characteristic manner of speaking, in the style of speech and verbal phrases that a person uses in a conversation, in his vocabulary (you can convey the same idea to the interlocutor with different words). Also, such an image depends on the choice of intonation and correctly chosen words.
In order for a person to make a favorable impression on others, he should use mainly words that will emphasize his conscientiousness and reliability. For greater effect, you can use a pause or intonation to emphasize the most important words. For example, a sudden decrease or increase in tone makes an entire phrase or a single word stand out well. The speech should be convincing, logical and reasonable, it should contribute to correct understanding.
The mental image is a person's worldview, his principles, religious beliefs, ethical attitudes, social stereotypes. You can conditionally divide people into idealists and materialists, destroyers and creators, pessimists and optimists, skeptics and expecting a miracle, believing in the power of relationships or the power of money, etc.
The background image of a person is information that can be obtained about a person from various third-party sources - for example, from the media, from business partners, clients, acquaintances, etc. This is a human "rumor" that runs ahead of a person. It turns out like this - at first the personality works for the image, and then - vice versa.
The real image of a person is everything that a person has: a personal car, a bed, dishes, the appearance of a house, the furnishings in it (paintings on the walls, ancestral values, books, family albums). All this also tells a lot about a person. Therefore, before inviting guests to the house, it is worth considering whether the home can improve, spoil or consolidate the created image.
What else you need to know about image formation
Like the first impression of a person, his image is formed in a very short period of time. To change it later, you will need to try a lot. Therefore, it is better to be always ready to demonstrate your image.
The image that the person himself creates, or helps him to strengthen and develop success in interpersonal relationships, or hinders him in this. You need to make every effort so that it is not random and spontaneous, but carefully thought out and conscious.
And, finally, another important component of a person's image is to strive to really be, and not just to appear. This means that you need to try to master all of the above elements of your image, and not just demonstrate them.
