Wearing a Scarf

If you've been watching "Mad Men," then you've probably noticed Betty wearing her beautiful silk scarves. Many women tell me they love the idea of wearing a silk scarf, but don't know how. Sound familiar? I've found a great resource - Brooks Brothers's website has a tutorial of sorts on six ways to wear a silk scarf: French Twist, Square Knot, Neck Ring, Neck Wrap, Slip Knot and Head Wrap. Check it out here.

While some say the best silk scarves come in flat orange boxes from France (Hermes), there are many other, more affordable options out there. I've gotten some outstanding bargains at Filene's Basement (Longchamp, Pucci and Yves St. Laurent). Select a classic design you like in colors that work with your basic wardrobe, and you'll wear it for years. Elegant execs know a silk scarf adds a nice finishing touch to a suit and jazzes up more casual ensembles.

Name the Dog Contest Winner

In this month's The Elegant Executive newsletter, I challenged readers to name the dog breed pictured above, with the winner receiving a free half-hour coaching session with me. Congrats to Lois from Drinker Biddle for being the first to correctly identify the breed as a Bedlington Terrier. Tune in next month for more fun, games and insight into ways to network more effectively, turning business-related encounters into mutually beneficial professional relationships. Click here to sign up for my free monthly newsletter.

No Need to Panic

Former Mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani, was given some indispensable advice at a young age by his father who told him that in a crisis situation, "Become the calmest person in the room." Mr. Giuliani credits his father's words of wisdom for saving his life during the 9-11 World Trade attacks.

Ever notice how panic helps no one? And more to the point, it makes the person falling to pieces just look bad. Self-control is the antidote to panic, and the time to practice is before a serious situation arises. The next time you feel yourself unhinging ever so slightly because the FedEx pickup didn’t happen or the meeting room you reserved for your clients is being used instead for a CPR course, take a deep cleansing breath, close your eyes, and tell yourself to act like the calmest person in the room. Open your eyes and realize that most situations can be remedied by a clear head and some quick thinking. An Elegant Executive never panics.

Professionally Persistent

Yesterday I received a sales call from someone I met recently who would like to do business. While I'm not in need of his services at the moment, I would certainly like to keep in touch. He understood that the timing wasn't right, and asked if he could be "professionally persistent" and call me next month. I almost fell out of my chair.

Yes! Please, be persistent in a professional manner. Not aggressively so: "I've been calling you for months, isn't it time we do business together?", nor the reverse, painfully meek: "You probably have found another source by now, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to make one more call."

Being professionally persistent means asking for a better time to call, and following up with confidence and sometimes a dash of humor. A case in point: I've been trying to schedule a meeting with a very important person with whom I have a strong connection, but it hasn't happened. Each time we agree on a date, she cancels, albeit with great apology. When it happened this morning at 9:00 (the 10:30 coffee date is off), I recalled the phrase I heard yesterday and told my VIP that while I was sorry we weren't going to get together, I congratulated her on her recent business coup and told her I would continue to be professionally persistent. She laughed and told me to do just that. She also thanked me for my understanding.

The Elegant Executive always assumes good intentions, doesn't let minor setbacks ruin the day, and knows that mutually beneficial professional relationships take time to nurture and grow.