Being a woman with class primarily comes from a sense of yourself – through confidence, behaving courteously and through etiquette. Classy women never permit a bad mood to affect their manners. Commanding attention comes from a combination of grit, grace and gravitas. The grit is based on conveying courage and high standards for performance; the gravitas by demonstrating knowledge and experience; and grace – a combination of your emotional and relationship awareness and skills (having class).
Let’s look at five things classy women often do that captivate others.
Stand and walk with confidence
This includes proper posture (straight back with chest out, head parallel to the ground, arms relaxed at your sides and feet shoulder-width apart). Be clear about your purpose and goal. This comes with preparation and knowing something about those you will be meeting. Try doing some power poses before entering the room and reset your emotional state to boost your confidence. Be on time and arrive with a smile.
Dress for the occasion
Think about the situation you’ll be facing each day. Who will you be meeting? How should you dress? Classy women tend to dress conservatively, but this doesn’t mean they lack in style. It means they ensure that they match the level they aspire to.
Pay attention to unconscious signals in the room
Stay present and aware of those around you and the signals you are sending. Notice the signals others are giving off about their intentions and feelings. Focus on who you want to meet and notice their body language. Are they smiling, interested and curious about you? If their eyes are wandering, ask them a question that captures their interest and keeps them attentive to your conversation.
Focus on one strong emotion to convey a message through your face, body, and demeanor
This helps you tap into your inner charisma. A single emotion, such as feeling passion for your mission, will cause you to concentrate on your purpose and will generate a positive response in others. This is how you command attention.
Be prepared and authentic
Make sure you’ve done your homework. Once you’ve piqued someone’s interest, they will expect you to have something worthwhile for them. Above all, be yourself. Stay focused on your purpose and passion, and stay attentive to your goal.
Stay tuned for the new book on Executive Presence titled Grit, Grace, and Gravitas by Jane Firth and Andrea Zintz.
