Chapter 1 | Seven Seconds: Master the art of making an immediate and commanding first impression—vital in industries where safety, trust, and competence must be established on sight.
Chapter 2 | Your Professional Identity: Learn how to develop a consistent leadership identity that reflects your values, work ethic, and accountability across diverse industrial environments.
Chapter 3 | Leaders Look Confident: Show up with confidence—whether you’re presenting in a boardroom, walking a job site, or guiding a production team—through deliberate choices in your appearance, behavior, and communication.
Chapter 4 | Leaders Look Authentic: Balance approachability with authority by staying true to who you are while meeting the high expectations of clients, vendors, and employees.
Chapter 5 | Leaders Look Professional: Understand the visible and invisible codes of professionalism in the trades—uniforms, demeanor, equipment care, safety culture, and everything in between.
Chapter 6 | Leaders Look Respectful: Demonstrate respect through every handshake, hard hat, and team huddle—building trust across generational workforces and cross-functional teams.
Chapter 7 | Leaders Look Controlled: Develop strategies to lead under pressure, manage crisis calmly, and maintain steadiness in environments where stakes are high and timelines are tight.
Chapter 8 | Leadership in a Digital Landscape: Manage your online presence with intention—aligning your digital footprint with your professional standards and industry reputation.
Chapter 9 | Leaders Lead by Example: Model accountability, consistency, and grit—whether you’re setting the pace on the floor, driving innovation in operations, or mentoring rising talent.
Chapter 10 | Moving Forward: Use insights from The Image of Leadership for Builders, Movers & Makers to navigate your next leadership move, from expanding influence to building a legacy.
A | Appearance: Your gear, uniform, and how you show up visually can reflect safety awareness, attention to detail, and personal pride in the job—before you say a word.
B | Behavior: Whether on a plant floor, in a client meeting, or on a construction site, how you carry yourself shapes how seriously you’re taken—and how your leadership is perceived.
C | Communication: Clear, direct, and respectful communication builds confidence across crews, contractors, and cross-functional teams—and positions you as a trusted leader.
D | Digital Footprint: Your digital presence—emails, LinkedIn profile, even your project updates—contributes to how your professionalism is judged in a connected, transparent world.
E | Environment: From tool storage to boardroom culture, the spaces you influence and maintain signal what kind of leader you are and the standards you set for others.
A lot has changed in the last decade—especially in industries powered by innovation, infrastructure, and production. This special edition reimagines the leadership identity conversation for those who are building, moving, and making the world work.
The updated version of The Image of Leadership for Builders, Movers, Makers responds to post-pandemic disruptions, rapid digitization, labor force shifts, and rising demand for inclusive leadership in traditionally male-dominated fields. It’s tailored to address the boots-on-the-ground reality of operational leaders who carry enormous influence, even when they don’t always seek the spotlight.
Whether you’re managing supply chains, leading site operations, coordinating field crews, or overseeing multimillion-dollar builds, this edition equips you with practical tools to refine your leadership presence and earn the perception you deserve.
It’s not about wearing a suit. It’s about wearing your responsibility—visibly, credibly, and intentionally.
The Image of Leadership for Builders, Movers, Makers explores the powerful connection between how you present yourself and the influence you command in industries where precision, reliability, and leadership matter more than ever.
Sylvie di Giusto brings a fresh lens to leadership presence—showing that even in hands-on, high-stakes environments, the way you show up communicates just as loudly as what you deliver. When your leadership presence aligns with your values, work ethic, and expectations, you lead more effectively and earn faster trust.
With relatable stories, industry-specific strategies, and tools you can use on day one, this edition helps you take control of how others perceive your leadership—on-site, in meetings, or online.
This book is a must-read for leaders across the industrial landscape who are shaping the future with their hands, their minds, and their dedication to progress. Whether you’re overseeing construction projects, managing logistics operations, running manufacturing plants, leading supply chain strategies, or guiding skilled trades teams, this edition was created with you in mind.
It offers timely and practical insights for project managers in the field, plant supervisors on the floor, forepersons leading crews, executives driving strategy, or business owners growing their legacy. It’s particularly valuable for those who want to lead with clarity and conviction, without pretense—leaders who aim to build trust across generations, elevate their credibility while staying true to themselves, and take ownership of how their leadership is perceived in every interaction.
If you are building things, moving products, managing operations, or making progress happen every day—this book will support your journey, strengthen your leadership presence, and help you stand out for all the right reasons.
In sectors where results are often tangible—like a finished project, a shipped product, or a completed job—it can be easy to overlook the intangible: how others perceive your leadership. But perception is performance.
Whether you’re leading a factory floor, a logistics team, or a construction crew, your presence shapes how people trust your decisions, follow your direction, and talk about your capabilities when you’re not in the room. In competitive, deadline-driven industries, perception can make the difference between being overlooked—or being promoted.
This book addresses the silent signals that shape how clients, employees, and executives view you—and how to control those signals with clarity and intention.
Sylvie di Giusto’s insights into leadership and profession-al presence have shaped my perspective on the importance of reputation. Through her expertise, she has reinforced the notion that success isn’t just about what we do—it’s about how we are perceived.
To commemorate the tenth anniversary of The Image of Leadership, Sylvie di Giusto has released a series of special editions crafted for the professionals who shape industries, drive economies, and create lasting impact. Each edition is thoughtfully tailored to help leaders refine their identity in today’s complex world.
Bringing together your leadership team for a retreat, summit, or conference? Sylvie’s books are available at exclusive customer pricing when ordered in bulk. Surprise your audience with a practical, powerful resource they’ll reference long after the event. Reach out to her incredible team at cmi, and let’s deliver an experience—and takeaway—that builds momentum.
