Alan Weiss’s Monday Morning Memo® – 05/01/17

A little pride. Is that too much to ask?

A couple walked into an upscale restaurant in my town. She had on a dress and heels. He had on a tee-shirt and old jeans. Such are the times that no one throws people out for slovenliness, but he struck me as a buffoon (though he may well not have been). And what kind of relationship is it where one partner doesn’t tell the other that there is lettuce in their teeth, a stain on their outfit, or a degradation in their behavior?

At professional meetings and conferences, no matter what the stated dress code, we’re being seen by peers (and, sometimes, buyers). There’s no need for a tuxedo, but looking professional and successful can’t hurt. In fact, I find people most comfortably interacting with colleagues who take pride in their appearance. (On our United flight on Friday, one flight attendant looked like a wreck and the other looked as if emerging from Vogue. And I’m not talking about attractiveness, just appearance and grooming.)

It is not a runic process to determine what will reflect pride in yourself and stimulate relationships and respect. I’ve seen joggers dressed better than some people at business events. We do judge books by their covers, and they’re often what determines whether we care about what’s inside.

Writers are a little below clowns and a little above trained seals. —John Steinbeck

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