Diagnosis

Your career seems to be stuck in neutral

Prescription

New clothes and a new attitude are the first steps to a new you

Several years ago, I had a colleague who showed up to work one day as a new man. He was normally very casual in both his appearance and his attitude toward work, but on this particular day as he sat across from me at the conference table, he was decked out in a suit, wearing new glasses that made him look very smart, and his spiky surfer haircut was back to its natural color and combed against his head. Even more surprising, he was very focused and engaged throughout the meeting. What astonished us most, though, was that he kept up these changes over the weeks and months to come. He had virtually reinvented himself at work, and while he wasn't quite a top performer that year, he was far and away the most improved and he won a lot of awards at the annual awards banquet.

Turning over a new leaf is hardly complicated, but it does take a serious commitment to improve in all phases of your career. It encompasses big changes, like adopting a new attitude at work, being more professional with your colleagues and refreshing your sales skills, as well as smaller changes, such as improving your appearance. It's not easy to change people's first impressions, but if you've gotten off on the wrong foot, it may just be essential for your survival.

A seven-step program

Changing your appearance is probably the easiest and most immediately noticeable thing you can do to kick-start your personal reinvention. Make sure that whenever you are doing business—whether you are at a corporate meeting, a dinner or working with customers—that you are well dressed, your hair is trimmed and nicely styled, your nails are clean and well manicured, and your shoes are shined. When you dress, try to emulate the most professional-appearing colleague or manager in your division. If you're not sure what to wear to a given company event, err on the side of more formal rather than risk being too casual. No matter how casual a work event may be, never wear anything provocative or improper. Do not smoke in your work clothes because the smell will follow you and make a negative impression on others. Since most people are visually oriented, changing your appearance is the easiest way to get people to take notice of the new you.

Being professional is grounded in common business sense. Some very easy habits can make or break your career in your manager's and colleagues' eyes. So, starting today, commit to incorporating the following habits into your life:

• Respond to all voicemails and e-mails within 12 hours
• Read all correspondence, and don't delete e-mails without reading them
• Spell-check, and use proper grammar in all e-mails and documents that you compose
• Always have your reports in on time, or better yet, have them in early (your manager should never have to waste his or her energy tracking down things you should have been responsible enough to complete and turn in on time)
• Treat everyone equally, no matter what his or her position in the company
• Never resort to rude or inappropriate jokes or stories; don't assume that everyone else finds the jokes as funny as you do—somebody may be offended
• Always limit yourself to one or two alcoholic drinks at an event
• Spend the majority of your conversations on professional topics rather than personal ones