“Appearance is extraordinarily powerful because it’s the first filter,” says Sylvia Ann Hewlett, an economist and the founding president of the Center for Talent Innovation (CTI) in New York. “So how do you look the part?”
According to her new year-long study of over 4,000 college-educated professionals and 268 senior executives, conducted by CTI and in partnership with Marie Claire magazine, looking like a leader is the first step to becoming one. In order to portray “executive presence,” superiors must perceive you as having gravitas, excellent communication skills and a polished appearance.
While appearance was deemed less important than gravitas and communication skills, it’s the very first thing people see. So a major grooming mistake can instantly undermine your chances of showing just how good you really are. From the CTI researchers' interviews with high-level leaders, these emerged as the top seven physical traits that you’re being judged on.
No. 1: Grooming
According to the research, good grooming habits—looking “polished” or “pulled together”—is a professional’s most important physical asset. Women are judged more harshly here. While 83% of senior executives said “unkempt attire” (including wrinkled or too-tight clothing and visible lingerie) detracts from a woman’s executive presence, a slightly smaller percentage (76%) said it undermines a man’s. Moreover, women’s professional polish includes tasteful accessories, manicured nails and a hairstyle versus a haircut. Whereas, a man’s polished look is based on clean nails, shiny shoes, a clean shave and manicured facial hair, according to the report.
No. 2: Posture
Sitting and standing tall is considered the second-most important leadership signifier, no matter what type of office environment you work in. Good posture—meaning planted feet, shoulders back and head straight—reflects confidence and authority. On the other hand, shuffly feet and shifty eyes or a slumped-over torso are often perceived as a lack of respect, energy or engagement.
No. 3: Physical Attractiveness
Studies show that attractive people are more likely to be viewed as smart, happy, interesting and successful. Among the executives surveyed, 16% said physical attractiveness contributes to a woman’s executive presence and 14% said the same for men. Moreover, those working in formal business cultures ranked it slightly more important than those in causal work environments. The researchers note, however, that it’s “less about being stereotypically pretty and more about consciously highlighting your best attributes and features and taking the time to appear well groomed.”
No. 4: Slimness
Being fit may help you climb the ladder—in more ways than one. In the study, 21% of executives said being overweight looks bad for a woman and 17% said it hurts a man. Those numbers more than doubled when it came to obesity (45% and 43%, respectively). In her book The Beauty Bias, Deborah Rhode outlines several studies that link extra weight with negative stereotypes like low self-confidence, lack of discipline and emotional volatility. Additionally, several executives interviewed said that being in good physical shape implies you know how to take care of yourself and, by extension, important projects—regardless of whether it’s true or not.
No. 5: Height
While women are judged more critically by their weight, men are more likely to be sized up by their height. Of those surveyed, 16% said it’s important for men to be tall, compared to just 6% for women. According to leadership book Management by Chuck Williams, although only 14.5% of American men are six feet tall, 58% of male CEOs running the 500 largest U.S. companies stand six feet or taller—four times the average. Real estate executive Tim Melville-Ross told the CTI researchers that being 6’6” has been “a huge advantage” in his career.
No. 6: Expensive Clothing
Perhaps unsurprisingly, wearing expensive, or at least expensive-looking, clothing was rated as more important for those who work in formal business cultures. However, looking chic but not trendy proves to be more difficult for women, the researchers found, who have infinitely more style choices than men. Executives said that signature accessories—a great shoe or nice watch—go a long way, but flashy jewelry undermines your appearance. Similarly, they said brand names suggest stature, but too many labels are distracting. It’s a narrow balance beam to walk. Style experts recommend aiming for “conservative chic” with tailored clothing and tasteful accessories that add a pop of personality.
No. 7: Youthful Appearance
Ironically, women are judged for looking too young and for looking too old, but more critically for the latter. Junior women confided that they secretly hoped for a couple gray hairs to look more experienced, and women in focus groups agreed there is only a small window for not looking too old or too young. “If reminding a client of his grandmother or mother can make you seem outdated or tired, reminding a client of his granddaughter or daughter also has pitfalls,” write the researchers.
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