Hi Folks. Sorry for the long pause since my last posting. It’s been a hectic time. I’d like to share a version of a speech I gave at a Pecha Kucha style event last week. I thought it would be a perfect to share with you. Here goes… When you dress professionally, you look professional. When you look professional, you feel professional and when you feel professional, you play better…. When a reporter, in the early 1980’s, asked Glen Sather (then head coach of the Edmonton Oilers) what was with the suits and ties that he made his young players wear on their way to games, this phrase (above) was his response. Today, the NHL has a dress code but back in the day, it didn’t. Of course, the Edmonton Oilers of the early 1980s were made up of young, highly-skilled players. But Sather felt in those early days that the team lacked some of the maturity, work ethic – and ultimately, professionalism – that was needed if they were going to reach their full potential. So, one of the things he did to rectify this was to institute a mandatory dress code for game days. It’s interesting when you think about it. When they are actually “at work”, hockey players are wearing hockey equipment and uniforms. But Sather felt that if they drove to the rink in a suit and walked into the dressing room looking professional, that that would translate into improved performance on the ice. He, like any good coach and general manager, was always looking for that little extra something that would put his team over the top. It was important to not only build the skills of these young professional players but also have them think and act and dress like professionals too! With L2 Style, my message is similar; you might be smart, competent, skilled and talented at what you do but, as I just mentioned, that’s simply not enough in the business world. As you know, my goal is to start changing how people think about their overall presence and appearance in the workplace… whether it’s in client situations, in team situations, or in interview situations. Dressing professionally gets you in the right mindset which impacts things like: Your performance or productivity Your confidence Your personal level of credibility Dressing professionally not only gets YOU in the right mindset, but it also helps others develop the “right” perception of you and could impact things like: The impressions you make Leadership Your level of credibility with others Here’s an example I’d like to share. Which professional services firm would you rather hire? This one? Or this one? You get me point…. There is a reason why professional services firms have offices in high office towers that are very-well-furnished rather than a basement suite of a strip mall. Now both firms probably have the same level of competence and skill but a positive office appearance gives their clients a level of comfort or confidence in their skills. Is it fair?
A Message From Lazina
Like many people, I’ve always been attracted to style, new trends and fashion. But a few years ago, I took a look in the mirror and realized that my look was stale, dated, and looked WAY too similar to everybody else! I guess that’s what happens when you follow trends and fads too closely – for too long! After taking that close look in the mirror and not loving what I saw, I spent a lot of time educating myself on what styles worked best for me – for my life situation, body type, age, style preferences and, of course, my budget. At that time, I had just finished a Master’s degree and was about to enter the workforce. I felt this was the perfect transition point for me to package my ‘inner substance’ with a good sense of style! Since then, I’ve been a lot more conscious in observing the style that other people present to the world. Once I started noticing the variety of different styles out there, I came to realize that – plain and simple – many of us haven’t connected the dots between how others perceive us and how we WANT to be perceived. Think about your style right at this moment, is THAT the message that you want to share with the world? Is it appropriate for your current life circumstances? In some cases, yes is probably the answers to these questions, but I’m willing to wager a fair amount that a lot of people don’t fully understand that what they wear is speaking volumes to the world! From this realization, L2 Style was born! L2 Style has been my outlet for developing unique style solutions for people that not only focus on making them look their absolute best but also on educating them on what their style is saying to other people. And frankly, when you look amazing, you carry yourself differently, you are more confident, and you just feel more attractive. Ultimately you are presenting your most authentic self to others. Guess what, all of these outcomes help us progress in our personal and professional lives. That’s it! Understanding style and being able to piece a wardrobe together is not rocket science but it IS an acquired skill that a lot of people haven’t mastered. My goal is to provide mentorship, guidance, and advice to those that are ready to start their own style journey. I invite you to read through the information on this website, including my blog, and my hope is that you’ll be inspired to start your own style journey because you really do deserve to look fabulous. Always… Lazina Mckenzie L2 Style Founder & Style Consultant
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