Mannequin Motivation

Interview Series, Arlington Street between Boylston and Newbury Streets, Store Window Displays, Ida Claire and Esther Dorothy, Inc.

When walking past any clothing department store, you will typically observe a mannequin in the shop window parading the latest fashions and accessories.

The purpose of this promotional activity is to attract your attention and to entice you into thinking about how those clothes may look on you. As part of this process, you may visualize where you could wear these exciting items of clothing, and also the reaction you may receive from your friends, family and work colleagues. Your thoughts are no longer standing in front of the shop window, they are now travelling to various geographic locations and different emotional states via the use of your imagination.

What about using the motivational benefits derived from these mannequins in the corporate office?

Just imagine having a mannequin strategically positioned in the office foyer as you enter the building. Each Monday morning, the attire of the mannequin would change to provide a theme for the week and to act as a thought provoker. Some potential clothing options:

Personal Wellbeing: sporting clothes (eg tennis outfit)
Creative Thinking: 1960s “flower power” clothes
Watch out for the competition: a suit of armor
New Business Development: a mountain explorer
Appraisal Time: a corporate suit
Holidays: swimwear

The mannequin could also hold message signs to highlight specific business events and communications. For instance, if it was the boss’s birthday, a sign stating “It’s my birthday today, so please enjoy a longer lunch break to celebrate!”….the possibilities are endless!

So next time you walk past that clothing store, think about the “motivational mannequin” and how it could improve the morale in your business.

The Regular “Dental Check”

Dentist/Dentist

When you go to the Dentist there is typically a check up where each of your teeth is individually examined for any detrimental effects which may impact their short and longer term performance.

A tooth that is identified as having an issue (eg decay, excessive wear, stress, etc) is targeted with an immediate corrective action to ensure its longevity with your other teeth. For those really problem teeth, a planned removal is initiated to make sure there is no negative influence on those remaining.

In the workforce, the role of a manger is a bit like a Dentist, particularly at performance appraisal time. The manager also needs to conduct regular reviews with their staff to ensure that no potentials issues arise, if one is determined, it should be quickly addressed so as to not impact the employee’s individual and overall business success.

The key is “regular brushing” and the occasional use of “dental floss”!

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