A tale of two sales. I called a sister, told her I was coming to her shop to pick up specific items. We set an appointment for my lunch hour and I got there on time. Upon arrival, I expected the goods will be ready for pick up. No such luck. It took the sister 15 minutes to get out of bed, sort amongst her goods, and then declare she didn’t even have some of the items I requested.

On the other hand, a brother advertised his books on Facebook. Interested, I sent him a message and requested copies be sent to a friend and an ecopy for myself. He responded immediately and gave me his account details. I paid. He contacted my friend to set up the book drop and updated me on my ecopy. His texts were clear, professional and personable.

Who would you choose to do business with?

Professionalism is the skill or behavior of going above the ordinary, displaying good manners and business sense. Being professional requires you to:

• Be respectful
• Dress for success
• Be trustworthy
• Have a positive attitude.
• Go above and beyond expectations.

Likewise, being personable is having a pleasant appearance and manner. Whether or not you have a customer or you are meeting someone, you should have a pleasant appearance and manner. This means you should:

• Mind your telephone and virtual manners.
• Not gossip or backbite.
• Be approachable.
• Set healthy boundaries.

Leaders are professional and personable. The more you show up like a leader, the more people you attract and influence.