Rule 17: You do Not Have to be Good-Looking, but You Have to Look Good

Overview

SNAPSHOT

Do you think personal appearance is important to professional success?

Yes: 100 percent

No: 0 percent

Emmy-winning producer Christopher Lloyd spoke for the whole group of interviewees when he said, "A pleasant personal appearance is a plus. It is probably a failing of human nature, but I think people tend to like to be around attractive people—not necessarily physically attractive—just people who present themselves well." This view permeates every professional field. "You must have a pleasant demeanor and dress appropriately," according to Doug Bain of Boeing. Ron Gafford, CEO of Austin Industries, agrees that "appearance to the customer" and to your own people is an essential element of professional success. I got a similar reaction from virtually every one of the forty top professionals whom I interviewed.

This is a tough subject to discuss—so much so that a couple of the invincible executives I interviewed on the subject spoke only on the condition of anonymity. People want to believe that "inner beauty"—respect for others, intelligence, competence—are the most important elements to professional success. Unfortunately, the real and the ideal are quite different. The bottom line: a positive personal appearance is a critical element of lasting professional success. The opinion was unanimous.