During a conversation with a business owner in the catering business, he was delighted to let me know he had implemented the structure we had discussed that will allow him to step away from the business…to spend more time working on the business rather than in the business.

Notwithstanding this, he expressed frustration that when he went into the kitchen the team still acted as if he was the head chef even though the business had appointed a head chef to lead the kitchen team.

In response, I asked:

“What do you wear when you go into the kitchen?”

 The business owner advised he always wore his chef outfit.

I pointed out that with the implementation of the new structure he was no longer the head chef.  His new role was as General Manager of the business.  However, when he went to the business he went dressed as the head chef.  By not changing the way he dressed the team interpreted this to mean his role had not changed.

I recommended he remove from his wardrobe every one of his chef outfits and replace them with smart business attire.  Thus, when he goes into the business, he is dressed in a way that sends the message he is working on the business and not in the day-to-day management of the business.

The message from this conversation is that how we dress impacts on both how we are perceived by others and how we perceive ourselves.  When we look confident, we will feel confident in our role in the business.