Trust, the kind the research alludes to cannot be established by someone coached to "look" busy. Or to someone whose main motivation is their personal bottom line. The kind of trust the findings are talking about comes from the mindset of an employee and employer who focus their attention on contribution, in every aspect of how they show up to work and to each other on a daily eight hour and possibly then some basis. Contrary to the looking busy idea, we dedicated this eZine to a discussion of items that will help us demonstrate in all of our business a furthering of our organization's goals, making it a better place to work and to be.

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This section contains questions asked of the training professionals at Tero. Do you have a question for Tero? Let us know! If there is a topic or question you would like to see addressed in a future eZine, please make suggestions so we can give you the resources you need. Thank you for the continued responses we receive each month.

Question: I have been seeing First Lady Michelle Obama regularly wearing sleeveless dresses. As the warmer months approach, will I be able to incorporate this sleeveless trend into my office wardrobe?

Tero says: It is unfortunate that instead of focusing on Michelle Obama's magnificent mind, many are noticing - and commenting on - her sculpted arms. But that invariably happens to women in the public spotlight. Exposed skin can also undermine a woman's credibility at the office. In a business setting, it still holds true that the more skin a woman is showing, the less respect she is shown. Do you want to be known for your brilliance or your biceps?

A simple and effective strategy is to embrace the concept of Contextual Dressing. Consider the context and activities of your day, the people with whom you will interact, and the message you would like to convey, then dress accordingly. Contextually, wearing a sleeveless dress on the cover of Vogue magazine is a perfect fit, but a sleeveless dress in Congressional chambers or meeting with foreign delegates certainly raises a few eyebrows, as the First Lady has encountered.

Does that mean Michelle Obama and her style admirers have to succumb to a closet full of pastel pantsuits? Please, don't! There's no reason we have to forgo the beautiful Michelle Obama-inspired sleeveless dresses the retailers are currently showcasing. A well-chosen dress which is suited to both your silhouette and style sense is always a good investment. Simply adding a savvy cropped jacket, a contemporary cardigan or a chic shrug when wearing the dress to the office will retain your modern look while commanding more respect in the boardroom.

Question: I lead quarterly teleconference meetings with our sales team from other offices. Sometimes it feels like I am talking to only one person, as only one of seven individuals on the call will respond to topics, questions, give input, etc. How do I encourage everyone to speak? Do I verbally do a roll call after each statement, question to poll everyone?

Tero says: Meeting facilitation is always challenging and it can be especially difficult when face-to-face interactions are not possible. When you feel like you may be talking to only one person, you may be right. Here's a few strategies to try to facilitate more audience engagement. Some you may have tried - others may spark some creative ideas.