Do you blend in to your surroundings no matter what environment you're thrust into?

Chameleons are able to change their skin colour.

Although it is widely believed that they change colour to match their surroundings, the changes are actually a way of expressing their physical and psychological condition.

Their colour also plays a part in communication - different species are able to alter their appearance to pink, blue, red, orange, green, black, brown and yellow.

Chameleons may also use colour changes as a method of communication, including making themselves more attractive to potential mates.

Some would see this as a skill - being able to notice what's different about the things that are going on around you and adapt your own appearance to suit. At certain times it can be useful - especially if your work means that you have to work with different customers frequently.

Sales people, consultants, account managers, freelance designers are all great examples of roles that need this kind of adaptability.

But, it is precisely people in these jobs who need to stand out from crowd. By having the skill of blending in, they often fall foul by blending in too much.

Being able to stand out is crucial in competitive times.

Given a choice between the nondescript person who blends in with the wallpaper and the bright person sparkling in the centre of the room, who are your customers going to choose.

The challenge - being able to stand out without being over confident, trite or even arrogant. It is often the subtle things that are the difference that make the difference.

Choose a scenario. It could be a job interview or a sales meeting.

If you were an acquaintance meeting you in this scenario, what would stand out about the person standing in front of you? And, what message would the things that stand out be sending?

Once you have your list, you'll be better placed to design exactly how you can stand out.