During the 1980s, two books had considerable impact on what people wore in order to get power and respect. These books, geared toward the professional, have a much wider application if you read between the lines. The first book, Dress for Success by John T. Molloy, chauvinistically addressed only men. The book’s popularity led to a sequel, The Woman’s Dress for Success Book. Both are valuable, if dated, aids for young executives.
The theory of both books is to look at the boss in order to look like the boss. The startling response to Molloy’s books was that, all through the 1980s, droves of young female professionals began wearing dark blue suits, white silk blouses, and big red bows at the neck. Perhaps they were helping themselves up the ladder of success, but the necessity (or perceived necessity) for ambitious young women to transform their appearance to break into the good old boys’ club is distressing.
Today, dress styles in the workplace vary widely depending on the type of business. In the entertainment industry, for instance, dress styles tend to be more casual. Visit any animation studio and you will see folks dressed as if they were attending an afternoon barbeque. But there is always a time and place for everything. Clothing styles for the workplace continue to evolve. Some companies still require business attire, others don’t.
The point is to dress for the occasion. If you’re attending an important meeting, you obviously want to look your best to be taken seriously and be respected. I once met with a writer who came into my office to pitch a story idea. He wore a T-shirt, jeans, and flip-flops. My immediate impression was one of laziness. I assumed that his pitch would be as jumbled as his attire. I was right. The pitch wasn’t well thought out. It was carefree and meandering. This is not the impression you want to give the next time you approach the negotiation table.
When I give a lecture or workshop, I always wear a tie. Even in places like super-hot Singapore or super-casual Cannes, France, I wear a tie. I also always wear lace shoes. Neither one of these is a requirement. It’s what I do to make myself feel comfortable and confident. Probably nobody would notice if I wore loafers. But I would know. I would feel that I had been disrespectful to my audience.
Here is a less restrictive and simpler recommendation: Don’t dress to distract. You are in a negotiation. You want people to listen, and you need their eyes as well as their ears. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Of course, every rule has an exception. See the film Erin Brockovich for such an example. In the film, Erin, played by Julia Roberts, is hired as a secretary at a small law firm. She dresses in short skirts, revealing blouses, and stiletto heels. Her co-workers don’t take her seriously. Little do they know Erin is extremely driven and smart. Her wardrobe becomes second nature as the film progresses. She begins to investigate a suspicious real estate case involving Pacific Gas & Electric Company, which leads her to become the point person in one of the biggest class action lawsuits in American history against a multibillion dollar corporation. All this despite her risqué wardrobe.
Mirror your environment as you prepare yourself for your first negotiating session. For example, don’t wear a three-piece suit to a place where all the employees, including the executives, wear jeans and polo shirts to work. Respectfully absorb that which is around you. Sink into the surroundings.
Become a part of them.
Some negotiators take this tip beyond the way they dress. For instance, some negotiators even adapt to the pace of the speech. In New York, where people tend to talk fast, good negotiators speed up their pace a bit; in the South, where people tend to talk slowly, good negotiators slow it down a few notches. Above all, know that good manners are different from place to place.
The theory of both books is to look at the boss in order to look like the boss. The startling response to Molloy’s books was that, all through the 1980s, droves of young female professionals began wearing dark blue suits, white silk blouses, and big red bows at the neck. Perhaps they were helping themselves up the ladder of success, but the necessity (or perceived necessity) for ambitious young women to transform their appearance to break into the good old boys’ club is distressing.
Today, dress styles in the workplace vary widely depending on the type of business. In the entertainment industry, for instance, dress styles tend to be more casual. Visit any animation studio and you will see folks dressed as if they were attending an afternoon barbeque. But there is always a time and place for everything. Clothing styles for the workplace continue to evolve. Some companies still require business attire, others don’t.
The point is to dress for the occasion. If you’re attending an important meeting, you obviously want to look your best to be taken seriously and be respected. I once met with a writer who came into my office to pitch a story idea. He wore a T-shirt, jeans, and flip-flops. My immediate impression was one of laziness. I assumed that his pitch would be as jumbled as his attire. I was right. The pitch wasn’t well thought out. It was carefree and meandering. This is not the impression you want to give the next time you approach the negotiation table.
When I give a lecture or workshop, I always wear a tie. Even in places like super-hot Singapore or super-casual Cannes, France, I wear a tie. I also always wear lace shoes. Neither one of these is a requirement. It’s what I do to make myself feel comfortable and confident. Probably nobody would notice if I wore loafers. But I would know. I would feel that I had been disrespectful to my audience.
Here is a less restrictive and simpler recommendation: Don’t dress to distract. You are in a negotiation. You want people to listen, and you need their eyes as well as their ears. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Women, you pull the eye away from your face if you wear dangling earrings or expose any cleavage.
- Men, you improve no business environment anywhere with gold chains or a sport shirt open to reveal massive amounts of that remarkable chest. Although this attire may get you attention wherever you like to stop off after work, it doesn’t contribute one bit to your negotiating position while you are at work.
Of course, every rule has an exception. See the film Erin Brockovich for such an example. In the film, Erin, played by Julia Roberts, is hired as a secretary at a small law firm. She dresses in short skirts, revealing blouses, and stiletto heels. Her co-workers don’t take her seriously. Little do they know Erin is extremely driven and smart. Her wardrobe becomes second nature as the film progresses. She begins to investigate a suspicious real estate case involving Pacific Gas & Electric Company, which leads her to become the point person in one of the biggest class action lawsuits in American history against a multibillion dollar corporation. All this despite her risqué wardrobe.
Mirror your environment as you prepare yourself for your first negotiating session. For example, don’t wear a three-piece suit to a place where all the employees, including the executives, wear jeans and polo shirts to work. Respectfully absorb that which is around you. Sink into the surroundings.
Become a part of them.
Some negotiators take this tip beyond the way they dress. For instance, some negotiators even adapt to the pace of the speech. In New York, where people tend to talk fast, good negotiators speed up their pace a bit; in the South, where people tend to talk slowly, good negotiators slow it down a few notches. Above all, know that good manners are different from place to place.
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