InPower Women has begun a discussion on women, fashion and power, which is a great reason to repost this article Mary wrote a while ago. We love how Mary covers the issue of “dress for success”, tying the power of being attractive to our own sense of confidence. Read the whole series! – InPower Editors
Clothes make the woman. It is worth that extra money for a better haircut if it makes you feel like a million bucks because it means you will act more confidently, as if you are worth that million bucks. And confidence makes you more powerful and influential.
There are 4 key lessons I learned that helped me improve my approach to management.
- Lesson 1: Mothering isn’t a Management Technique
- Lesson 2: Influence and true leadership is communication – or rather, listening and understanding
- Lesson 3: Influence others to move blocks out of the way
- Lesson 4: Appearance really does mean a lot – This post!
Lesson 4: Influence thru appearance
While working at a client site for a Big 5 consulting firm, this stylish woman came into the office. She looked fantastic – St. John’s suit, leopard mules, hair neatly done, great makeup. She sat at a desk in the corner, and the team gave her lots of room and respect to make calls. I found out she was one of the top managing directors of the firm. And I learned that being a powerful woman didn’t mean leaving fashion behind. In fact – it added to the air that made her all the more powerful because she had incredible confidence.
I decided to try a “dress for success” strategy myself – I started wearing suits with skirts and heels. I wore makeup and a cutting edge hairstyle. I felt more confident and everything changed. I commanded a lot more respect – and this helped me achieve more influence. I didn’t need to get upset to be heard – people listened when I spoke. In fact, I was able to get more done.
Believe it or not, I was a Mary Kay consultant long ago. In Mary Kay, each consultant was REQUIRED to wear a skirt at each consultation. I never understood why – until I met that Managing Director. Confidence was oozing from her pores. Her presence commanded respect, even though she was wearing a pink suit and too much jewelry. She projected out what she felt inside, and it was infectious.
When women are dressed well it makes a difference. It’s less about how people perceive you and more about how you perceive yourself. When I am feeling low, I will dress up and notice my self-esteem fly thru the roof. I give myself a pick-me-up. And others can feel what I’m feeling inside – infectious respect for myself and others. This internal respect is influence.
My lesson: By feeling confident, respect will follow. And with respect, it is easier to influence others and get more done.
Women sometimes forget that there is a lot of power in influence. Power isn’t just a force to make things happen immediately – influence gives you indirect power that goes further than imagined. I remind myself of this often, remembering stories like these four lessons that have constantly prove this is true.
Explore more InPower strategies for investing in your Personal Brand.
Guide to Women in Leadership
Organizations with women in their executive suites regularly out-perform others. Yet rising female executives (and their mentors) are frustrated at how hard it is to break through the glass ceiling. In this extensive guide, Executive Coach Dana Theus shares her tried and true strategies to help women excel into higher levels of leadership and achieve their executive potential.
