A common saleswoman trick is
to travel with a navy blue or black blazer.
Putting on a blazer immediately dresses up
a polo shirt
or tank top
or a pair of jeans.
I took this trick
and applied it to corporate.
I had a blazer hanging
on a clothes hanger
behind my office door.
The rest of my wardrobe consisted
of pieces that I could wear with that blazer.
Even if I was pulled into a board meeting
on casual Friday
during the company bbq,
I looked half decently dressed.
Guy Kawasaki interviews
author and career columnist
Penelope Trunk.
What interested me was
her stance on being a specialist
vs being a generalist.
She says
“In Hollywood,
the best way to get your pick
of any role in the industry
is to become a specialist
funny guy, tough girl, action hero
get known for being the best at something,
and then use that star-power to branch out.
The same is true in business.”
That is exactly what I did.
I took my base in accounting
and wedged myself into
marketing meetings,
sales meetings,
and eventually
new business development meetings.
This tactic works.
Surprisingly, it is rarely used.
