In Leadership, Appearances Matter

In Leadership, Appearances Matter

Last week, I was exiting my neighborhood Starbucks when I happened to overhear a middle-aged man talking to a younger man who appeared to be his son.

"It matters what you wear," the older man told the younger, whose clothes reflected a cross of grunge and goth. "When you go out with your friends on the weekend, you can dress one way; when you are going to a job, it matters what you wear."

While many might argue that appearance should not matter, we know in reality that it does. Expectations vary by subculture. What is acceptable for a...