Personal Presentation: Crisp, Conservative, Consistent

Recently I visited a fellow speaker, meeting in person for the first time.  We met at his place of business, had coffee, and talked about his work in the community and with a local business organization.  It was my only in person meeting of the day.

Near the end of our conversation, he asked if I wore a suit every day.  I shared that I do wear a suit every day, as it's easier to take off a jacket & tie than to find yourself under-dressed and in need of a more professional look.  Sometimes it makes people wonder, "who's the guy in the suit?" - and I have a chance to shape their perception from a good starting point.  We even had a short conversation about a very colorful tie I had chosen to wear that day, something that would be appropriate for Easter Sunday.


After our conversation I sent him a quick note of thanks for taking the time to connect.  In his reply, he shared the same.  At the end of his message, he wrote this:

"P.S.  Polish the shoes."

Polish the shoes???  I was indignant...for a moment...then looked at my shoes.

Sure enough, on my feet were my most comfortable pair of dress shoes, meaning the most scuffed, worn, flat-finish, unprofessional shoes I own.  There I was, wearing a new suit, crisp white shirt, conservative cufflinks...and scruffy shoes.

Looking in a mirror, I remembered what I call the 3 C's of professional personal presentation:

1. Be crisp


2. Be conservative


3. Be consistent

Being crisp is wearing what you wear well, and really pertains to some simple things.  Make sure the clothes fit.  Button all of the buttons.  Zip all of the zippers.  Tuck what's supposed to be tucked.Being conservative doesn't necessarily mean you can't have a little sartorial flair.  It does necessarily mean you should not wear anything that will detract from your personal brand or your message.

Being consistent means that everything "goes together."  Don't wear a nice suit without polishing your shoes.  No matter how you're dressed, be consistent from top to bottom.Like most things in life, knowing how isn't necessarily the tough part - it's making sure you do it every day.

Have to run.  Time to polish my shoes.