When it comes to being a leader, style has little to do with the brand of your suit. – Lisa Martin
Style comprises everything about how you physically show up in the world.
Do you come to work looking rumpled and unkempt? Do you rush ungracefully into meetings, disorganized and harried? When you speak, do you ramble or second-guess yourself?
As superficial as style may seem, it speaks volumes to other people. Decision-makers factor in these physical cues usually without any consciousness that they’re doing it. They’re unwittingly using these factors to weigh how much they can trust you, how much you can handle.
[Tweet “Even someone with great substance and credibility can find their career limited by lack of style.”]
They may rise quickly through the tiers of management, but struggle to garner the support and collaboration it takes to succeed at an executive level.
[Tweet “Simple things like body posture can communicate insecurity. “]
Less confident people tend to make themselves small, particularly when they feel pressure to perform. Confident people tend to take up more space in the room, conveying a sense of assuredness to everyone around.
The basics of style are being organized, put together, calm, speaking with authority and using confident body posture.
Leadership Development: Don’t make the mistake of dismissing your style. It’s communicating something about who you are.The question is, it is saying what you want it to?