Diverse Good Looks


Bill Marriott is a true stickler for personal appearance, but he made it clear to me that his strong emphasis on appearance cannot be confused with the idea that only silver-haired, white males can rise to the top. He pointed out with pride that his company and the country as a whole have made great strides in promoting people of different races and cultural backgrounds. He considers the move away from white males as the only talent pool for top executives as a major positive development for the business world. But he, as others, acknowledged that there remains discrimination in favor of attractive-looking people at the top of the executive ranks—whatever their gender or ethnic background may be. Ethical top professionals will promote women, African-Americans, Muslims, Jews, Asians—anyone—but only if they have impeccable personal hygiene and appearance.

The silver lining here is that the immutable characteristics—i.e., genetic ones—are less important than the ones over which you have some control. For example, Senator Alan Simpson, a very tall man, conceded that his height has helped him. However, he also noted that former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, who is 410, is a "commanding presence" in a room. Sam Fox—who is 56—has built a fortune worth hundreds of millions of dollars. He puts it this way: "As much as I would like to be 64, I am 418—like it or not. I can't do anything about that! But I sure as hell have a lot to say about how often I get my hair cut, how often it is washed, that it is neatly combed, how often I shave, if I go out in the evening with a morning shave, if I have a suit that is crumpled and shoes that aren't shined. Those are some of the things over which I have absolute control. As for the things which I cannot control, I disregard them."

More important, if you lack certain of the immutable physical characteristics that help in achieving success, there are several ways in which you can overcome those disadvantages. First, however, you must take an honest look in the mirror and decide whether you have an appearance handicap. If so, you cannot ignore it, deny it, or become resigned to it. Any of those approaches will prevent you from becoming the invincible executive. Rather, you must confront your disadvantages on a characteristic by characteristic basis and develop a personal style that either downplays the disadvantage or, better yet, converts it into a strength. Let's explore how to maximize your personal appearance such that you are in the running to become professionally invincible.




Staying Power. 30 Secrets Invincible Executives Use for Getting to the Top - and Staying There
Staying Power : 30 Secrets Invincible Executives Use for Getting to the Top - and Staying There
ISBN: 0071395172
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 174

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