Grooming Talk For Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS)

If you ask me what excites me talk after talk, workshop after workshop, it’s the satisfaction knowing I have made a positive difference in the lives of others.

What upped the excitement today was when one participant walked up after my talk and told me she had read my blog previously. Now that’s the icing on the cake to anyone.

I’m at the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) today for my grooming talk. Comprising a good mix of staff of different ages, MCYS is the second ministry I’ve been engaged after the previous health and fitness talk at MOE.

If you think civil servants are a rigid lot, think again. They certainly knew how to have fun and let their hair down too! I couldn’t detect any sense of hierarchy between supervisors and staff as they all blended in together. At one stage, the staff even poked fun at the supervisors, asking me what hairstyles would suit the untamed tresses of the female boss.

In any work environment, knowing how to create a positive first impression speaks volumes. This is especially so when one is interviewing for a job or aiming for that next promotion. Yes, work performance matters. Yet when it comes to comparing two employees with similar performance grades, estimated potential and length of service, I would still choose the one who is able to carry himself or herself with confidence. You don’t have to be a beauty queen. But you need to know how to look presentable and confident in front of your team.

Imagine a head of department dressing sloppily and yet hoping for the team to give their best in the forthcoming project. The image and the words just do not gel. If one is congruent, one has to be congruent in everything – from the dress, walk to the talk.

So there you have it!