Plan to be taken seriously According to Fortune magazine, about 40% of executives who change jobs or get promoted fail in the first 18 months. One way to avoid that is to do the groundwork and create your own 100-day plan. The knowledge you gather will help you to put things in context and decide what your goals and objectives are, and how they are aligned with the organisation’s. This should map out what you want to achieve on your first day as a director, during your first week, and in your first three months. Learn the language Most senior people spend their lives in meetings, and the principle means by which executive decisions are achieved is through discussion. Women should act to familiarise themselves with the skills and language that are required and used at boardroom level. How you show up matters, how you talk matters, how you conduct yourself matters. You can portray a confident and powerful image of strength – it might be something as simple as sitting up straight and taking up space. Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) is a useful set of skills to learn. Through the use of language and body language, it enables practitioners to change the thoughts and feelings of themselves and those around them in a predictable way. It allows for more effective communication of a message by making sure the “mood music” is correct. In the boardroom, it helps to create a rapport with others, to understand boundaries, and, importantly, to build trust. How to represent yourself on social media Make sure that whatever you say and do on social media represents your personal brand
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and gives a consistent view about you. Avoid getting into heated discussions about religion, politics, race and gender. Don’t attack or be rude to people, and never forget that when you tweet, post a status, or upload a photo or video, the world can see what you write and do. If you don’t want your fellow directors to see it, don’t post it. Nicqui Galaktiou, media lawyer, points out that your reputation is your personal brand, therefore if you are attacked or defamed on social media, you must take immediate steps to protect your reputation and integrity, because once tarnished, it is difficult to rebuild.