Dress For Success
In The Apprentice 1, the men learned they were to meet with Donald Trump at the New York Stock Exchange. The men then discussed the appropriate attire to wear, and all of them arrived wearing suits to meet The Donald. The women wore similar business attire.
Season two brought Raj, who broke ranks from traditional business attire with his red pants, two-toned leather shoes, and bow ties. The next day, Raj accessorized his outfit with a cane, which prompted Trump to ask, “What are you carrying the cane for? Looks like you have two very good legs to me.” Later, Project Manager Pam instructed her team of all men to take off their ties. They were working at Mattel, and no one there wore them. All of these examples illustrate the importance of appearance and attire. However, it was not until the third season that this issue was debated in the boardroom.
In the first episode of Apprentice 3, Danny’s clothes stood out much more than Bren and Craig’s bow ties. Appearances count, and right off the bat we heard Tana say, “There are a few people that look like they might not be Mr. Trump material.” John chimed in with, “The guy in the leisure suit. Obviously he dances to the beat of a different drummer. Apparently that drummer loves polyester.”
Donald Trump started the conversation about attire in the boardroom asking Todd, “What do you think of the way Danny dresses?” When Todd tried to answer that the clothes were stylish, Trump shot back, “Stylish for who?” Trump then asked Danny if he was at a disadvantage because of the way he dressed. Not convinced with Danny’s answer, Trump turns to Verna, “Verna, would you say he’s at a disadvantage, or do you think it doesn’t matter?”
“I’d say he’s at a disadvantage,” she replied.
Wanting one more opinion on Danny’s clothes, Trump turned to
“I love the way Danny dresses personally, but I would like to wear head-to-toe pink every day of the week, but you know what, when it comes to doing a job, when it comes to work, you gotta wear the right clothes,” Erin replied matter of factly.
In all three seasons, we saw that clothes and appearances do count. What you are wearing and how you are groomed matter. Clothes showcase the person, and they can do it well, or they can put you at a disadvantage.
Appearance counts for a large portion of the impression we make, so the conversations by the competitors and in the boardroom were very appropriate. Appearances may be skin deep, but if you do not look the part, you might not make it through the first door. Donald Trump, the person the groups most wanted to impress, always wears a suit when working. That should have been a huge consideration when selecting their attire. It is important to create a bond of commonality between yourself and the person you wish to persuade, so take your cue from the other person and the environment.
While the producers of the television program may have influenced the wardrobes on The Apprentice television series, the consideration of one’s attire is still an important lesson we can learn from the shows.
To influence someone positively, it helps to match that person’s sense of acceptability. Your physical first impression goes a long way in establishing this acceptability. You will not be able to fool people for long if your only quality is a great wardrobe and a sparkling smile, but failure to project a positive physical first impression may undercut your positive skills and virtues.
Everyone has opinions about what they like and expect and what they do not like or expect about others’ appearances. It pays to know what image you want to project and how it fits within the culture of the organization or industry you wish to impress.
Whether you agree with it or not, the fact is, appearance counts, and if you want to succeed, you must look the part. You will know the culture of your organization, or at least you should. Therefore, dress the part and ensure your clothes reinforce the impression you want to make and do not detract from it. Do not forget the shoes. They can be more important than your clothing. Make sure you wear the appropriate shoes and keep them clean and well shined. Your appearance is the statement you make about yourself, so make it count.
Danny learned this in season three. After the comments by Trump during week one, Danny returned the next week wearing a nice suit. The first thing Donald Trump said that morning was, “Now Danny, before I begin, your suit, it’s beautiful. Look at you. Very impressive!” While the change in appearance was not enough to save Danny from being fired in episode three, it does illustrate the importance of appearance. Don’t underestimate its importance, it counts.