May
6
Professionalism Perceived is Professionalism Achieved?
Author Andy L. | Filed Under Miscellaneous
It should be readily apparent that the title of this post is a corruption of the old axiom, power perceived is power achieved. It is unfortunate though, that my version is also applicable. Whereas the perception of power can translate into actual power (Learned Helplessness, Stanford Prison Experiment), the same is not true when it comes to the quality of professional services. The key component in this discussion is mode of dress. To put it bluntly, why does a suit, as opposed to a t-shirt, equate to professionalism? The distinction, while not wholly arbitrary, is still false. When one individual makes a value judgment based on another’s clothes, they are participating in what the technology industry would refer to as a “legacy” system. (Legacy systems are pieces of software/hardware that are outdated/outmoded, but that you still have to deal with.) The belief that professionalism is somehow related to clothing is a perfect example of a legacy system.
Where once the cut, color, and quality of a person’s clothes determined their position in complex social hierarchies, no less prevalent in America than in Europe, it now determines status in corporate hierarchies. Presumably, the “better” one’s position, the more it pays, and hence, the higher the quality of one’s clothing. In the professional world, the suit (for men and women) is the garment of choice. The more expensive it is, the more well known (in the appropriate circles) the designer’s name is, the higher ranking its wearer. Whether the person wearing the suit got their job through nepotism or ability, brown-nosing or acumen, is irrelevant. When that individual steps in front of a room to make a presentation, or a sales pitch, or deliver a closing argument, the first judgment the intended audience makes is based on appearance, of which clothing is a major component.
Why do we persist in this fallacy? Some would argue that initially, the only metric by which they can gauge the individual in front of them is appearance. I would ask why any judgment is being formulated at so early a stage. It would be far wiser to take that proverb, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” which is perhaps one of the first such truths that we learn and no less valid for being a cliche, to heart. The only thing that matters, is the final product; whether that’s a good defense or a piece of complex software doesn’t matter. The clothes someone was wearing when they delivered that final product aren’t even worth mentioning. The thing is, many, let’s call them casual professionals, never get that far.
My office, for example, is very, for lack of a better phrase, casual. But to say that is a commentary only on how we dress; to take it any further does an immense disservice to the extremely talented men and women with whom I work. Most of us wear a t-shirt and jeans on a regular basis, yet when we meet with clients, we still have to play the game and dress “professionally.” And although we are being hired for what we produce, not how we look doing it, to get the job in the first place, we have to conform to the accepted mold. And that, quite frankly, is ridiculous. I have serious doubts that humans will ever evolve beyond our propensity for snap judgments and fascination with appearance, but I guess I can still hope.
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14 Responses to “Professionalism Perceived is Professionalism Achieved?”
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Is the dress up for the pitch meetings or what have you more a sign of respect than professionalism? THEY, the client, are going to potentially pay you money for your services, without said money, you would not have a job to not dress up for. So out of respect, you go the extra step of making yourself a tad more presentable for the meeting. Its about showing respect, not about creating an illusion of professionalism. Now go get a haircut.
I disagree with you on two points. First, respect, a rather nebulous term at best, is not based on your appearance but on your actions. Showing up at a presentation, pitch, or in a courtroom ill prepared is a sign of disrespect, but the clothes you’re wearing shouldn’t ( although they do) play a part. Second, you make a rather significant assumption in that being a “tad more presentable” equates to wearing a suit. Although the potential clients are going to pay you money, they are presumably coming to you because they respect (to use your word) your skills, not your sartorial flare.
I agree in part and disagree in part but I don’t feel like getting into it.
If you expect me to watch any corners, you will wear an effing tie.
I have to interject here. I often struggled with the same thoughts when I entered the corporate world. I think part of it is “playing the part” and getting/staying in a frame of mind that business is taking place, respecting OTHER’s perceptions and views of someone, and lastly part of it stems (I think) from flagrant past decades. How do you know a person’s background? How do you know their psychological background? It may not seem important but in a large corporate office of 5000 people, there are some “strange fruit”. As for wearing a suit to an interview, first impressions do count. How much effort someone puts into that first meeting can make or break a deal. It can signify a trait, or lack thereof, that may be a leader behavior missing. Do you take iniative, are you insightful of your environment, can you adjust to changes in your surroundings, and how well can YOU be a transformational leader amidst a corporate world of fallacy as you put it?
Oh!!!! I have been waiting for this one!
Andy and I had a nice, long, drunken debate over this one.
“researchers in social psychology have begun to demonstrate that complex behavior is also automatically shaped and guided by the knowledge that is incidentally activated during perception.”
Case and point, your perception influences your behavior and the behavior of those who interact with you.
Perception in most cases influences or governs reality. Why? Becuase our perception is the only way we can possibly interact with reality. Thats not to say that a nicely dressed moron will go farther then a poorly dressed genious (Albert Einstine). But others perception of you through our most pominant recptors (Eye’s, Ears, Nose) strongly influences our initail behavior twords you.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VH9-4B4S6J0-1&_user=5844500&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000000313&_version=1&_ur
here is the website where you can read more.
incorrect URL format!
Ed proves his own point by being a terrible speller/typer. My initial perception of him is that he’s a poorly dressed moron and he’ll have to wear a whole lot of couture to change that perception. Nice going ‘Einstine’.
Andy, just admit that you have tie envy and get it over with.
Brian,
By typer, I believe you mean typist. From that mistake my perception of you is that you’re an office manager somewhere, serving the demands of middle management, who happens to work in a liquor store on the weekends.
Funny you should mention the liquor store job you overzealous Jewish doglover. A fellow came into the store this weekend wearing a tux. As he was paying, I commented–jokingly–that I suddenly felt underdressed. His response was “You are. You’re shirt needs ironing.” And so we learn how far nicely dressed d-bags get. They are mediocre conductors of local part-time symphonies.
Cheap Malbec, by the way.
Did you make sure to check his ID? Don’t want to make that mistake twice.
Linda, I perceive you to be judgmental and overly sarcastic by your witty comments. Really does not matter what you’re wearing.
But, by your logic, you should be dressing like a Cheap Malbec out of respect for your customers who provide you with a job to wear wrinkled shirts to.
did you make sure to check his id? We don’t want another “incident” now do we.