Whether you like it or not, we live in a materialistic society. No matter how much you've been taught not to judge people by their appearance, we all do; consciously or unconsciously. This is particularly true in the business environment.
People react to you differently depending on how well you dress and groom yourself. Your colleagues, subordinates, boss, customers and people around you form a perception of you partly based on your appearance. If you don't believe me, try walking into a jewellery shop wearing a T-shirt and flip-flops and see what kind of service you receive.
I'm not saying that we all have to win a beauty contest. You can't change the way you look - unless of course you get plastic surgery - but you can determine how you dress and groom yourself. I am not advising you to buy the most expensive clothes, live beyond your means, or always be formal and wear a three-piece suit to work every day. All I'm saying is that you should dress like every day is an important day. Dress as if you are a successful person. This may vary from industry to industry or from company to company. A successful banker will look different from a successful marketer. Be aware of cultures in your industry and company.
Dressing up will make you feel good and more confident about yourself. And when you are happy, people will want to be around you and will more than likely react to you positively. Dressing up shows that you respect both the people around you and the people with whom you have business dealings. In return, they will take you more seriously.
From a corporate viewpoint, how your staff dresses will partly determine your corporate image. I believe, therefore, that it is quite appropriate to set expectations of the way your staff should dress.
For businesswomen, how you dress will tend to make a greater difference in the way people react to you than it might for a male colleague. Your dress can make you look sexy, sweet, conservative or aggressive, and these looks can result in different business outcomes. Be cognisant of what you wear and how you want to be perceived. I am not claiming to be a fashion expert, but I can tell when someone is dressed sloppily. If you are not sure what to wear, at least be neat and clean and look professional. Save the trendsetting outfits or excessive hairdos for the weekends.
To be successful in your career, you must still have all the other important traits, but how well you are groomed and dressed will often play a role in determining how fast you get to where you want to be - or whether you reach that goal at all.
Urasate Navanugraha
is assistant vice president, asset development, Pacific Star International (Thailand). Follow his articles in Hi! Managers on the second Wednesday of each month.
