This month’s posts have been all about executive presence and how to ensure you are being perceived as being a leader. Thus far we have dug into the first two components, gravitas and communication. Today we are taking a deeper look at the third and final component of executive presence, appearance. While appearance only accounts for 5% of what comprises Executive Presence, data shows that appearance is typically a filter through which gravitas and communication skills were evaluated. This means that if you don’t get the appearance part right, you may never even get the chance to be evaluated on your gravitas or communication.
When it comes to appearance, there are only so many things we can control. When looking at what senior leaders value most with regards to EP, it’s encouraging to see that the thing that matters the most is something we can control. More than a third of executives consider polish and grooming as being important to EP, whereas less than a fifth say that physical attractiveness matters. Fortunately, the stuff you can’t control like height or body type isn’t what matters most, it’s more about what you do with the stuff you’ve got. Grooming and being polished are things that can be learned, not something you have to be born with.
So, what does it mean to be groomed and polished? It’s really about putting in some effort and caring about your physical appearance and coming into work looking as professional as possible for your specific environment. Things like using the right make-up, having manicured nails, well-fitting close and neat hair can make all the difference in how you are perceived as a leader. When you put effort into how well put together you look, you signal to those around you that you take yourself and your role seriously. This doesn’t mean you have to wear a three piece suit every day! You have to dress appropriately for your environment. If you work in an organization where causal clothes are the norm, then by all means, wear those casual clothes! Just make sure that those causal clothes fit well and that you look put together rather than messy. You also want to make sure that your clothes look authentic to you. If you wear something that doesn’t feel comfortable it can make you feel less confident and can actually detract from your executive presence.
There are some other things that come into play for EP, like being physically fit and attire, but they are not nearly as important as just being pulled together. Aside from appearing groomed and polished there are two other important things to think about with regards to appearance. The first is to project to the world that you take care of yourself physically. If you come into the office looking tired and rundown it can make you seem less resilient and could potentially make people think that you can’t handle all the stress that comes with leadership. Make sure you are taking time for self-care!
The second thing to think about with regard to appearance (after being groomed and polished) is your attire. Try and choose clothing that makes you feel confident while still maintaining your own sense of style. Also, the old adage is so true, dress for the job you want, not the job you have. This is all about perception! Make sure that those around you can envision you in that next role.
I think it’s important to note that appearance is the piece that I struggle most with when talking with clients about EP. I highly value diversity and believe that leadership comes in all shapes, sizes and colors and sometimes talking about appearance can feel like asking people to hide those differences. I think it’s important to note that you should never sacrifice your authenticity to get ahead at work. In fact, without authenticity you likely won’t be perceived as an effective leader. There are times and places, however, where you may need to adhere to the organizational culture in order to get ahead. The key is to know your non-negotiables and when to walk away.
In the long run, how you look is not nearly as important as how you act or what you say, but it can be really important when it comes to first impressions. When you give some thought into your appearance in the workplace it can really open some doors for you and make sure you are given the opportunity to demonstrate your skills. Appearance is certainly not the most important part of executive presence but it does have an impact, so it’s not something that should be ignored.
