Fashion, Work, and Leadership?

Everyone has their own style. How we choose to dress is a conscious decision,

whether we go for fitting or oversized, for the bright patterns or the muted tones.

Our fashion choices are exactly that – ours.

And work is no different.

It’s important that we understand this.

Comfort

Simply put, if we are comfortable, we are more likely to be happy and, in business,

more successful.

So, it is important to put on your own “big hoodie or fluffy socks” when it comes

to your approach to work. Whatever it is that makes you feel ok in what you are

doing.

This might not be immediately obvious, and you may have to shop around try some

stuff on before you find the perfect fit. But once you do it will feel like kicking off

your shoes after a long day, things will be so much simpler.

Just like the Highstreet, there are so many options when it comes to work and

leadership styles so you may have to experiment. You may have to have your

metaphorical goth or punk phase until you finally get the style right for you.

But that is okay, no one will get it exactly right the first time, and it is highly likely

it will evolve and mould to your personality over time. Being a leader is not natural

to most people and it might take a few attempts to get the perfect fit, in terms of your style.

Challenges

Once people have settled on a style, very often they will gravitate towards the

same brands again and again. But in doing this you can get bored of your look

after a while, suddenly the boots will not work with the outfit, or the jeans will start

to look tired.

If this happens it may be worth exploring what other retailers have to offer, and

you may unlock a whole new fashion avenue.

The same can happen with your work and that of your team. If you are all mirroring

each other and working in very similar ways within your business, your output and

efficiency can begin to suffer.

Variation is a big positive in a team. You will often be tempted to surround yourself

with similar individuals when hiring but this is not always as great as it may seem.

People with different styles can bring a better working dynamic, they can be willing

to wear the boots that you no longer like, opening you up to go out and get some

trainers that better suit your outfit.

Authenticity

What is key is that you must be true to yourself.

I think we have all been there when we were at school, some may be longer ago

than others (yes, me obviously!), when the popular kid came in with brand new

trainers and you felt like you just had to have them. Soon, everyone is coming in

wearing them.

You just have to have them and eventually, you convince your parents to get them

for you. Finally, you have the look, you fit in with the popular crowd. But as you

walk around in them you realize they are not actually that comfortable, and you do

not really feel like the fit is quite right.

Ultimately, it is not about the trainers that everyone else has, it is about what you

feel good in. You have to be authentic. Thinking you need to fit in and trying to be

something else very rarely leads to success if it is not what feels comfortable to

you.

Yes, the popular kid may have the loudest fashion, the flashiest clothes, but just

because that is what they are doing does not mean you should feel the pressure to

do the same. Their fashion may not suit you, and if the look is not right, it makes

no sense to keep trying it.

Business is no different. You must do your own thing, tailor your techniques to your

own ways of working and that of your team. Copying another leader can be a place

to start – but pick something that feels more like your own personality.

Too often in business, I see a successful technician flounder as a new leader. And

it is because of this syndrome. They put on the metaphorical clothes, of someone

they THINK they should be as a leader, and it doesn’t work.

If it is not true to you, it is not something you should do.

If you need some help finding your new clothes as a first-time leader – email me at [email protected] and we can grab a 15-minute virtual coffee to

talk it through.