More people are doing business online, shopping on digital platforms, and catching up with friends on social media. Everything has become virtual – and the revolution shows no signs of slowing down.
On the surface, this increasing dependence on virtual touchpoints appears to have helped society phenomenally. We now have more speed and higher efficiency, with people working from beach lounge chairs. However, this situation has also created new problems, including challenges in building a standout personal style.
Carving a unique persona can be imperative for personal and professional well-being. It protects you from a dreaded identity crisis and helps you make headway in business pursuits. So, how can you achieve an inimitable personal style in a virtual world?
Building Style Through Digital Communication
Recently, a survey on workplace communication found that almost 50% of people prefer to use digital communication even when the recipient is sitting close by. Around 28% avoid entering the office kitchen if they feel they may meet someone they must talk to.
Face-to-face communication has become a bit of a lost art in the virtual world. However, getting your point across digitally can be tricky because of the lack of facial expressions and tonal cues. Misunderstandings are more common when clients cannot meet you in person. Carving a distinct virtual identity can help one remain impactful in these circumstances.
For example, many confuse “style” with being obscure or non-committal in communication. However, using jargon that the audience does not understand may only appear patronizing. Moreover, it is not impossible to convey tone and expression digitally. Framing sentences correctly and talking concisely without beating around the bush are good starting points.
A Frontiers study finds that individuals interact socially with avatars because they believe it is a human-human interaction. However, most people also respond socially to virtual humans. Our brains may have internal wiring that responds to social cues to get along.
Never Out of Style: A Thorough Gentleman at Work
The fashion world is volatile, with trendspotters having a hard time making predictions that sustain. In business, fashion has undergone several changes in the last few years. The executive suit has given way to smart business casuals and chat avatars. Microsoft Teams lets you build avatars that resemble your facial features, allowing you to customize hair and eyewear.
However, gentlemanship has not gone out of style in a virtual world. A thorough gentleman continues to be fashionable, which means sophistication and charm have their place.
Fortunately, this style statement is easy to emulate through one trick: Being thoughtful toward your clients. Think of high-quality fabrics and sustainable materials for your clothing and interior decor in the office. It reassures your consumers that you focus on the right things.
Reflecting gentlemanly qualities in business dealings also goes a long way in ramping up your style. It could be as simple as facilitating client interactions and making it straightforward for them to contact you.
For example, suppose your client is based in New York and must send you crucial documents by mail. Sending critical documents online can feel irresponsible and restless – not very stylish!
You can use a virtual mailbox to simplify this task. It lets clients connect with you even when you don’t have a physical office in their city. The provider can share the mail digitally, separating junk and shredding what is no longer needed.
According to The Farm Soho, in a coworking organization, business people must emphasize compliance with key regulations and data safety in a virtual age. For example, a decision like having a receptionist to interact with can seem very simplistic. Even so, it can massively change how your client perceives your company.
Cautious Use of Augmented Reality
Focusing on communication and people-facing activities can help you remain ahead of the curve even in a changing landscape. However, you have help for situations when a “physical” connection becomes vital. Think AR and VR technologies and hologram meetings. Indeed, meetings that let you be close to other attendees, even though you’re miles away, could soon be a reality.
CNET admires Google’s 3D video conferencing for its hyper-realism. It is still in the preliminary stages but could achieve brilliance for stylish conferencing once it becomes widely available.
The best thing about 3D video meetings is the imperceptible lag, letting you talk with/over people, much like in real life. They also offer insights on body language, such as shifting in the seat, which feels closer to a real-life conversation.
One can expect fabulous things from this technology: better collaboration and fewer misunderstandings. It will be perfect for those occasions when you feel compelled to appear in person (well, almost) and make your point.
Times change faster now, or so it seems. Internet natives are growing up learning to communicate digitally. Many of them are missing the natural advantages of physical mediums.
Establishing a stylish presence can be challenging in these more generic virtual worlds. It will require a quirky combination of flexibility, sensitivity, and adaptability to stand your ground in these exhilarating times.
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