What makes a great leader? Someone who expects to serve the people who work for them NOT someone who expects everyone to work for them. People empowerment maximizes potential, encourages open and honest communication and incites feelings of willingness and belonging. There is no place for fear and control.
You hear people refer to leadership style…what if we take clothing style into account?
When we, Cigar Baron and Blazer Tough, decided to write this article it was an emerging collaboration of look, presence and perspective. As fashion connoisseurs with a knack for putting pieces together, we dare to show up differently and bring all that we are to the table.
So what does “Be All of You” mean? It is the pride to be your true self regardless of race, colour, sex or creed. It means you like what like, you like who you like and, more importantly, you like you. It means you are not only comfortable with your uniqueness…you are excited by it.
In the English film “The Gentlemen”, there is a scene with Matthew Mcconaughey where his arch nemesis says to him “A sense of ownership is vital in every aspect of life and perhaps more so when it comes to wardrobe. For every look there is a season, for every season there is a strategy”. There is something special about the way a leader moves, the quintessential balance between confidence and arrogance, empathy and willingness to adapt to the realities of the current situation.
Personalities make good leaders. Leaders are fueled by ownership. To get that sense of ownership you have to feel comfort. With buoyancy and zest, your natural creativity and innovation will bubble to the top and generate success.
Employee engagement is linked to performance. We have witnessed that the winning behaviours of collaborating, having SMART goals, delegating and allowing employees to execute in their preferred style improves performance. None of this can happen if you can’t show up comfortable in your own skin. As a worker you have to be aware of this. As an employer, you have to facilitate this. You have to create an environment where focus is placed on the growth of each person, seeing each person for who they are and encourage them to express themselves and achieve their success.
If you are ready to be all of you, then go out and “make a splash whenever possible“. If looking dapper is your thing, then Griffiths & Tuck has some tips for you.
Know and acknowledge your comfort: You are your best when you are in your element. When everyone else is dressed in Black and Blue suits, don’t be afraid to throw on some red suspenders or tie a paisley scarf around your neck.
Oblige your audience: When you lead from a position of vulnerability, you tend to make everyone else around you comfortable. Why? Because, you let them know it’s okay to let their guards down…because you have. When in doubt, be happy to be over-dressed than under dressed.
Bring your best performance: Being all of you is not always the easy thing to do. Staying locked in and living the journey will make you a better person.
Leave a lasting impression: Express yourself. As the novelists Cythia Ozick once said, “Two things remain irretrievable: Time and a First Impression”.
Griffiths & Tuck’s sense of ownership when it comes to wardrobe is unwavering. “Be All of You”, do so without apology and encapsulate all the things which make you awesome.
Be 100% comfortable and 100% capable and 100% YOU.
