All in the shirts!

Posted on | December 21, 2008 | No Comments

Today I found myself in the Executive Office in Dubai meeting the people who help to keep the Emirate of Dubai on the cutting edge.

In the waiting room I struck up a conversation with Mr. Julian Miller of MillerExecutive Search.

Nothing new about talking to people in a waiting room except that the conversation started with the simple sentence, from him to me, “I wish I could get away with wearing that shirt”.

The shirt is a classic James with 12 colours and hidden animals, very loud and very me, it was tempered with a sea blue blazer.

Julian got me thinking, about the image package.

Why can I get away with meeting senior executives looking like I am just about ready to catch surf while others have to wear suits that cost more than my monthly grocery bill?

I wonder if we don’t create and perpetuate expectations that demand a certain veneer, in this case clothing style?

I am certain that Julian and I were able to sustain the attention of the executives we met yet I am 100% certain I was more comfortable. I am also certain that my presentation was taken with every bit the importance as the next guy’s.

So I suspect the lesson is build your image, work it and make it sustainable!  Whether you are walking the dog or meeting a CEO your image needs to be clear, palpable and consistent.

Mine is.  I walk into a room and instantly become the surf guy everybody knows. Interesting how colour attracts people. I walk onto a pool deck and again I am there in a big way without saying a word.

I suspect we need to be taught how to create, manage and sustain our non verbal communication as manifest in our body language and clothing, not to mention hair… Yet another area that our education seems to let us down.

Don’t worry too much there is still hope, I am here!

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