What He Wore to the Takeover: One deal maker’s thoughts on clothes and negotiating
In the Style section of the Wall Street Journal last week (Thursday, July 26, 2007) writer Christina Binkley talked to Colony Capital LLC chairman Thomas J. Barrack, Jr. about his choice in clothes when attending international negotiations worth mega millions.
On the surface the article appears to be nothing more than a fluff piece not worth reading. But, since I am a total nut and will read anything with a hint of negotiation in the body, I read the article. In fact, I read every last word. And was it worth it!
After talking about how he ties his scarf in Italy, sat thru 100 degree heat in the Middle East, and pays more than $3,000 for a pair of shoes (and only women are nuts for shoes?!), Mr. Barrack gives his adversaries the most chilling condemnation.
In the second to the last sentence, Mr. Barrack says he disregards all the fashion advice that he just gave “if the people his is dealing with show that they have intellectual depth.” Ouch! That stings. You mean to tell me that all this stuff about pocket squares, ties and shoes is a show for the morons?!
Yes, it is. And, you cannot imagine how relieved I was to read that statement. Dressing well is a sign of pride in one self, and nothing more. Bill Gates hardly looks the part of billionaire deal maker and yet, he is one of the most influential business men in the U.S.
The bottom line for you: Know what you are talking about when you sit down to negotiate. It is that simple. If you show up in khaki pants and button down plaid shirt and you know your sh*t, you will be taken seriously. If you show up in a $4,000 suit and blow smoke, you will not be taken seriously. Period.
This entry was posted on Thursday, August 2nd, 2007 at 5:01 pm and is filed under Tactics, General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
August 3rd, 2007 at 7:45 pm
Jeanette:
Great advice, and as always, written with tremendous panache! As an executive career coach here in the Seattle area, I’ve been fascinated by the changing nature of dress codes and what is now considered “acceptable attire” in various situations. And while once upon a time there were some pretty simple rules people could follow (e.g. always wear a suit to an interview) it’s gotten a lot more complex, and I’ve found that the true “players” out there don’t feel constrained by the old rules of thumb as far as fashion sense. As you said, the people who really know their stuff and are confident in their abilities don’t seem to feel constrained to dress in their Sunday best for every business occasion. Tastefully and appropriately? Yes. We’re not talking about being a slob or letting it all hang out just to make a statement. But these days, when you’re in sitting in a Starbucks, keep in mind that the person wearing the suit and tie might be a junior-level marketing person somewhere, while the person in the khakis and polo shirt might own the building!