01/03/2021
I've spent a lot of time the past few days thinking about why I started an image consulting business, why I'm so passionate about what I do, and why I believe everyone can benefit from working with me. I realized I needed to start from first principles by stating my beliefs. My beliefs are formed from my personal experiences; it’s taken me a lifetime to figure out what I need to be happy in the world, and even longer to believe I was worthy of creating that happiness for myself.
My Beliefs
I believe every human being deserves dignity, happiness and love.
I believe that human beings find dignity, happiness and love through mutually beneficial relationships with other human beings.
I believe successful communication is the basis of successful relationships with other human beings.
Therefore, I believe successful communication is the key to our dignity, happiness, and our ability to love both ourselves and others.
Human Communication
Human beings have very big brains. We are highly intelligent, social animals. We are extremely adept communicators: we constantly exchange signals about who we are, how we perceive ourselves and the roles we play in the world, and the kinds of attitudes and behaviors other humans can expect when interacting with us.
Our big brains are so good at reading signals that we do it without even realizing it. Most of us never take the time to examine and understand the signals we send through our appearance and communication style. So it makes sense we'd miscommunicate; we inadvertently send messages about ourselves that are counterproductive to developing the mutually beneficial relationships we want in our lives.
I believe every human being should have the knowledge to understand the signals they send in order to successfully communicate with other human beings, engage in mutually beneficial relationships, and maximize their chances of finding the dignity, happiness and love they deserve.
Successful Communication
I believe successful communication involves understanding the following:
1. Your perspective. What is my desired outcome? What signals should I be trying to send to maximize my chances of reaching my desired outcome? What verbal and nonverbal signals do I currently send, consciously and unconsciously?
2. Their perspective. With whom am I interacting and in what context or environment? What is their desired outcome? What verbal and nonverbal messages are they looking for? What messages are they signaling to me? (Hard mode: what is my perception of their own self-awareness about the signals they send?)
3. Tailor your signals for their perspective. How can I verbally and nonverbally communicate the messages likeliest to result in both parties' desired outcomes; that is, a mutually beneficial relationship?
Image Consulting
Image consulting is the process of understanding and taking control of your communication through the signals you transmit. Most people intuitively understand the effect these signals have on our own perceptions of others, but we read them so quickly and unconsciously that we're unable to articulate exactly why we have different reactions to different people. The concept of "Receptive Bilingualism" is useful here; it's like being able to read Aristotle in Greek but unable to speak it even enough to ask where the bathroom is at the Athens airport.
Think of me as a friendly but refreshingly honest local with an excellent command of the language. I'm here to guide you on your journey through controlling the signals you send through discovering and expressing your personal style. Along the way I'll teach you to speak the language of verbal and nonverbal signals, as well as the languages of fashion, style and aesthetics, so you can form and trust your own sense of taste and send the messages you want while expressing what makes you unique.
Remember, I'm just a guide: I can suggest places to visit that you might find interesting or fun, and I'll certainly make sure you stay out of trouble, but ultimately it's your trip. So if you're ready to figure out what you want from it, get in touch, and together we can begin the journey of our mutually beneficial relationship.
Jordan Lane, CMIC
Fresh Eye Image Consulting
