Projecting a confident positive attitude and self-image results in positive experiences. Negativity yields more of the same, often setting you up for failure.  If you want to succeed you must cultivate a positive attitude, be clearly motivated, balance your energy and be willing to work hard.  In his book “The Power of Positive Thinking In Business”, Scott W. Ventrella interviews Horst Schulze, CEO of the award winning Ritz Carlton.  He asks Mr. Schultz what business concepts he believed were the most important contributors to the prestigious success of the Ritz Carlton.  Without hesitation Mr. Schultz responded, “People!  Having motivated, energetic, hardworking people with great attitudes. That is the single most important factor.” 

Honing your skills in these areas will serve as a cornerstone to your success:

Years ago when someone would mention the word “brand”, you would think of a product such as Coca Cola or Pepsi; Nike or Adidas; Cadillac or Ford. Today you are the product/commodity. You are the brand. Everything you say or do impacts your brand for the good or the not so good. Since brand is all about perception, it is crucial that your perception is a good one.

The trend toward a more casual lifestyle has permeated every aspect of our lives. And yet, over the last decade we’ve watched the pendulum swing from a more casual dress code replacing the more traditional office suit to the resurgence of the more traditional dress code. It seems that many employees forgot the “business” in business casual. As such we’ve witnessed a huge misuse of what constitutes “casual” in the workplace. We’ve watched the boundaries between work and play, erode. Initially many employers believed that a more casual dress policy would promote greater morale, better communication, greater company loyalty and increased productivity. What was not taken into consideration was that employees might mistake casual for a less than professional look and ultimately have a negative impact on the company’s brand.

What exactly defines casual in the workplace? How do we dress casually and still continue to look professional? These are the questions that need to be asked and answered if one hopes to get that high profile job and or climb the corporate ladder.

Let’s start with first things first. If you have not done so already, make sure you get a copy of your company’s dress code. I was working for a company that contracted me to present a two-day workshop for a very large national corporation. Half way through the program one of the Vice President’s came up to me and asked if I would please address proper “business casual” attire. She said that one of the big problems they were having now that it was summer was too many women wearing open toed shoes and sandals and it was strictly against company policy. The first rule when it comes to “business casual” is to know your company’s dress code. If your company has the dress code printed up they are usually very happy to share a copy with you. Make sure you request one.

Dress codes will differ from one company to another and from one region to the next. They may even vary among different departments within one company, depending on the amount of direct communication that each department has with clients. For example, what’s appropriate in the art department may differ from what works for the sales department. To determine how you personally should dress “business casual” examine the type of company for which you work. Is it a store, a bank, an insurance company? What’s your role in the company? Do you work at a computer all day or are you frequently out making sales calls? Are you a boss or an assistant? What kind of day do you have planned? These are all factors that will greatly influence what you wear. Make sure your outfit is appropriate for the occasion.

If your company has an extremely casual dress code but you will be calling on customers all day, find out what the dress code is for each company you will be calling on and then wear an outfit that will be appropriate for the company with the most rigid dress code. You can always take off a tie or jacket as long as you have one with you. Men make fewer mistakes when it comes to business casual because they have fewer options to choose from. But even though your company may have a very relaxed dress code, there are still some big no-nos to keep in mind.

Ladies and gentlemen do not wear:

• Sweatshirts/pants or exercise clothing
  
• Torn, faded, frayed, ripped, colored or too-tight jeans
  
• T-shirts with sayings, slogans, cartoon characters or emblems
  
• Beachwear of any kind
  
• Facial or body piercings
  
• Clothes that are too baggy or too tight
  
• Too much jewelry or jewelry that’s noisy
  
• Unpolished shoes
  
• Beach shoes, flip flops, hiking boots or athletic shoes
  

Ladies do not wear:

• Leggings, shorts, capri pants
  
• Panties showing
  
• No tops that expose the midrift
• Skirts or dresses with high-cut slits, or shorter than 3 inches above the knee
• Tank tops, halters, skimpy sundresses, spaghetti straps, sarongs
  
• Anything low cut, too tight, see-through or glittery
  
• Bare legs or exposed toes
  
• Shiny, glittery, brightly colored, fishnet, rear-seamed or overly patterned stockings
  
• Stilletos, open-toed shoes or sandals, thigh high boots
  

Gentlemen do not wear:

• Hawaiian shirts
  
• Baseball caps or hats
  
• Shoes with no socks
  
• Shorts
  
• Shirts without collars
  

Now that you know what to avoid, let’s discuss some casual staples you should have, especially if you plan to move up the corporate ladder.