Episode 18: The power of image

May 13, 2013

"I have people that come to me saying, 'I haven’t made partner in my law firm.'  And I have to say to them, 'Do you wear that much cleavage at work? Because if you wear that much cleavage at work, I'm not surprised you haven't made partner.'"

- Mrs. Moneypenny

Our appearance has an affect on the way others see us, whether we like it or not. Most successful women spend a significant amount of time thinking about the image they present to the outside world. Some even dare to flout expectations occasionally (see Hillary Clinton, below). And while there may be endless emphasis on women's appearance, it's not as if men don't have to worry about this too. The power of image runs deep.

This episode features Financial Times columnist Mrs. Monepenny (alias the impeccably turned-out Heather McGregor) and chemical company engineer Amy Johnson (right - forget the hairdo and makeup), with a fleeting appearance from McKinsey and Company's Joanna Barsh. 12 minutes.

Show notes: You can find the US version of Heather McGregor's book, Mrs. Moneypenny's Career Advice for Ambitious Women, here.

This is the column by Financial Times fashion editor Vanessa Friedman that got me thinking about this whole topic of appearance, and wondering why Sheryl Sandberg didn't touch on it in Lean In. It's called 'Sheryl Sandberg's Mistake'. 

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