I was at a Toastmasters meeting the other day and one of our long time members was giving a speech about creating the ultimate presentation. His voice was smooth and his words were strong and right to the point. He used pauses and had great gestures. He urged us all to take our speaking skills to the next level.
He kept asking… “Are you willing to do what it takes to succeed.”
Point after point he hammered us with thoughtful questions.
It was a very powerful speech!
There was only one problem.
He was dressed in jeans and a tee shirt.
What he said didn’t match with his presence with the audience.
When I saw him I couldn’t help but think of some of the people that I have interviewed for job positions where I work and the way they would dress for an interview or hands-on test.
I’ve seen tee shirts, tank tops, and flip flops. I’ve seen sweat pants and ripped jeans. It begs the question… don’t you want to put your best foot forward?
While Steve Jobs can get away with a casual look, the rest of us might be well advised to dress for success.
Question: Have you seen any elephants lately?