Page 139 - Roy W. Rice - CEO Material How to Be a Leader in Any Organization-McGraw-Hill (2009)

120 • CEO Material: How to Be a Leader in Any Organization

receptively come into your room when you call if they know they’ll be
greeted with a pleasant demeanor.
Experts say that 2 percent of people are “face blind,” like color blind,
unable to distinguish expression. But 98 percent aren’t, so it’s a mistake to
treat 98 percent of the population like they aren’t seeing and reading your
face. They are. Your parents created your face, but you create your expres-
sion. Like most everything in this book, it’s your choice. Choose well.

Pay Some Attention to Your Wardrobe
It’s more important how you wear apparel (i.e., posture and carriage) than
what you wear. But why create an unnecessary obstacle for yourself with
inappropriate, ill-fitting, or unkempt clothes?
As a leader, you represent the company, employees, and even the
economic situation in the country—all by your dress. “You can’t dress
shabbily.” (Yes, I too know of some Internet CEOs who take pride in
meeting with billionaire investors in their T-shirts and cut-offs, but few
can get away with that over the long haul.)
When I go to the mall, I guarantee someone will come up to me. It
cracks my kids up. I used to dress like a slob, but now I consciously
look better . . . and I have to shave every day too. . . . One of my
people came up on Monday and said, “I saw you at Ace
Hardware over the weekend. I’ve never seen you in jeans.”
ƒ

Dress like you’re interviewing every day—for a job a few levels up.
Women would serve themselves better if they stayed away from tight
shirts or skirts, low necklines (collared blouses are best), bra straps that
show (even if fancy), superdangly earrings, lots of name labels, dresses
that could pass as slips, mismatched purses and shoes, contrasting lipstick
and nail polish, and loud colors.
Men would serve themselves better if they stayed away from the
“human hamper look”—sloppy, untucked or wrinkled shirts (collared
shirts are best), sagging socks, unshined or rubber shoes, accessories that