Episode 32 - What does a leader look like?

 Does how you look affect how people perceive you as a leader?

It's a question that a few coaching clients have brought to me over the years.

They're capable, experienced women who have either stepped into significant leadership positions or are preparing to take that next step.

But they're wondering whether they look the part.

Perhaps they don't wear much makeup. Perhaps they prefer comfortable clothes and flat shoes. Perhaps they don't have the time, interest or inclination to invest in the kind of polished appearance they associate with other senior women.

And underneath those questions is often a concern about credibility.

Will people take me seriously as a leader if I don't look like the other leaders around me?

In this episode of Management Matters, I'm exploring how appearance, professional image and self-belief interact, and how to decide what, if anything, you want to change.

Does image really matter for career success?

I start by looking at Harvey J. Coleman's P.I.E. model from his book Empowering Yourself: The Organizational Game Revealed.

The model suggests that three factors contribute to career success:

• Performance: 10%

• Image: 30%

• Exposure: 60%

Now, this is a model developed in corporate America in the 1990s, and I'm certainly not suggesting we should accept those percentages as universal truths.

But I think it's an interesting starting point.

Does it reflect your experience?

If it doesn't, that's fine. You don't need to adopt it.

But if you recognise something in the idea that professional image influences how people perceive your leadership potential, it might be worth exploring what that means for you.

Your professional image is more than your appearance

One of the important things about the P.I.E. model is that image isn't simply about how you look.

It also includes your professional presence, communication style, personal brand and how other people perceive your value.

Are you prepared when you arrive at a meeting?

Do you communicate clearly?

Do you follow through on your commitments?

How do you show up when you're making decisions or leading your team?

These things all contribute to the impression people form of you.

And they're not necessarily connected to whether you're wearing heels, have a manicure or spend a lot of time on your hair.

Imagine your future leadership self

One of the exercises I use with clients who bring me this question is to ask them to imagine themselves three to five years into the future.

You've settled into your leadership role.

You've moved through the steepest part of the learning curve.

You're feeling capable, confident and well established.

Now imagine what that version of you looks like.

Are you wearing different clothes?

Have you changed your hair or the way you present yourself?

Or do you look much the same as you do now, but feel more comfortable and confident in your own abilities?

I think the answer can tell us something really useful.

Because sometimes what feels like a concern about appearance is actually a concern about whether you're ready for the leadership role you've stepped into.

And those are two quite different things.

Building confidence without becoming someone else

If you imagine your future self looking much the same as you do now, perhaps the work isn't about changing your appearance.

Perhaps it's about building your confidence, strengthening your sense of self and developing trust in your own judgement.

I often ask clients what they want to be known for as a leader.

And the answers are usually things like making good decisions, following through on commitments, leading well and being someone other people can trust.

Those are qualities connected to integrity and leadership.

Not the shoes you're wearing.

The aim is to develop a version of yourself that feels comfortable, capable and aligned with who you are, while being appropriate for the environment in which you work.

Making intentional choices about your image

Of course, you might decide that you do want to change something about your appearance.

Perhaps you'd like to rethink your wardrobe, find a personal style that feels more comfortable or make getting ready for work a little easier.

That's fine too.

The important thing is that you're making those decisions intentionally, rather than from a belief that you have to look like somebody else to be successful.

I share a few examples from my own experience, including how I dressed when I worked at London Business School, why I've made different choices in other settings, and how I've approached things like colour analysis and haircuts.

There's no single right answer.

What matters is finding an approach that works for your role, your environment and your sense of self, without using up unnecessary mental energy worrying about how you look.

What if concerns about your appearance are taking up a lot of mental space?

For some people, exploring professional image and confidence can be a useful coaching topic.

We can look at the assumptions you're making, the choices available to you and how you want to show up in your leadership role.

But it's also important to recognise that concerns about appearance can sometimes be connected to deeper difficulties, including body image distress or a history of disordered eating.

In those circumstances, therapy or counselling may be more appropriate than coaching.

If you're unsure what kind of support would be most useful, you're welcome to get in touch and we can talk about the options.

You can email me at [email protected].

Ultimately, I want you to feel able to show up at work as yourself.

To be comfortable in your own skin, confident in your judgement and known for the contribution you make.

Because looking like a leader doesn't have to mean looking like somebody else.