When you get up in the morning , just like when you went to elementary school, you dress yourself and look your best. What do you take into consideration when you get dress today ?
The question is this: Does how you look when you leave the house affect how others perceive you? Do Clothes make a difference?. But Do clothes make the manager? My early bosses certainly thought so. After a few deep thought after discussions, I finally agreed to clean up my act. And yes, that made a huge difference in my decisions.
Those stories put aside, the truth is that people notice how you dress, consciously and subconsciously. Actions may speak louder than words, but until they get to judge your behavior, which can take a while, people will inevitably trust their initial impressions.
How you dress matters. How much it matters really depends on how clued-in or clueless you are about this sort of thing. It also depends on what you’ve got under the hood in terms of brains, experience, and reputation.
I ran into another consultant who told of a time very early in their career, the were showing new homes, and it was a Saturday right before closing, and a gentleman walked in in dusty, clothes from a day in fields farming. He asked to see a model home, he was told that there were none available that would be in his price range, he left, and several days later, after returning from lunch, the gentleman was back there speaking with her boss, he was dressed in a suit, and he was introduced, and the consultant was sheepish, and the man bought the properties he needed, and he spoke of the previous meeting, and how he was dressed, needless to say two things happened, the consultant left that job shortly thereafter, and the man , well, he went on to become President of the United States.
On the other hand, when I became a consultant I started dressing a little differently. People noticed and commented. One COO said I looked more like a bum than an executive. Another said I should see a Barber. And that’s just what they said. Who knows what they were thinking. First time through I grew a goatee, and a ponytail. I was rejected from a famous retailer because I dressed like a hippie, and shown the door in a luxury hotel , which I was asked to consult by the company president who is a good friend.
The point is that people notice. They also have preconceived notions about people who dress a certain way. I know I do:
· When someone’s smartly dressed in business attire, I think sharp and savvy. Unless of course he turns out to be an idiot. Then he’s just an idiot in a suit.
· When an individual wears jeans and an untucked shirt to a business meeting, I think guts and self-confidence. Unless he turns out to be an idiot. Then, that’s right, he’s just a sloppy idiot.
· When folks wear business casual - khakis and polo shirts - I think mindless drone or middle manager who won’t take risks. (except for guys like me)
Again, the point is that, for better or worse, what you wear makes an impression. Here are 7 Tips to Enhance Your Management Presence instead of detracting from it:
1. Early in your career, spiff it up a bit. Later, when you’ve proven yourself, you can relax.
2. Dress for your audience. If you’re presenting or in an important meeting and key people will be wearing business attire, you should too. If you’re not sure, play it conservatively.
3. Dress the way you feel comfortable. Otherwise, it’ll show. No, it’s not okay to wear your pajamas. You’ve got to grow up and put on a suit sometime.
4. In most industries, super-fashionable attire is overdoing it. There are ways to stand out without looking like you’re trying to stand out. Get it?
5. Don’t dress like a drone or a clone, i.e. like everyone else, unless that’s really you or you’ve got so much under the hood that it doesn’t matter.
6. I don’t care how bright and cheerful you feel that morning; work isn’t a circus so don’t dress like a clown, i.e. the large woman from the old Drew Carey Show.
7. If you’re not Steve Jobs, don’t dress like him. He can pull it off; you can’t. Get your own damn uniform.
Dress for you audience, and Don’t judge others, you never know if the guy you just threw out because you didn’t like how he was dressed, might come back in, and turn out to be your new boss. My Dad always said “Never Judge a Book by it’s Cover, You need to read it a bit First.”
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