If you want to get ahead, get a hat

“Clothes make the man”, or so they say. Looking at the fashion industry, they make a substantial contribution to a number of women too. It’s not just a matter of decency either, although the remainder of the well-known quote (from Mark Twain) pointed out that “Naked people have little or no influence on society.” And although many organisations document and police dress codes among their workforces, another quote makes a pertinent riposte to Mr Twain: as Franks Burns said, “Without discipline the Army would just be a bunch of guys wearing the same color clothing.” (Indeed, if you try one or two searches for quotations about clothing, it’s amazing the impact fashion industry has on us: we don’t have much good to say for it.) But how we dress – at least to some of those eyeing us up and down – makes a statement about us, and prepares us for the issue or task at hand. With this in mind (and in full-length mirror), we offer some fashion tips for the 21^st century leader, acknowledging the guiding hand of Edward de Bono and the good ladies of the Red Hat Society.

Rule 1 we’ve covered in a previous posting, but it bears repeating – not just for personal safety but to avoid an unnecessary whiff of hubris. “No capes, darling.”

Rule 2 is more complex, as it draws on two books by Edward de Bono – Six Thinking Hats and Six Action Shoes. This mix’n’match approach, however, should be to our advantage: not only are ‘smart casual’ clothes now the norm in the majority of offices and professions, but a wardrobe of separates is flexible and adaptable – which was really where de Bono was coming from.

Hats	Shoes
White Hat strictly facts and information	Navy Formal Shoes when action should follow set routines
Red Hat feelings, emotions, gut reactions	Orange Gumboots for crises and emergencies
Black Hat making critical judgements and finding flaws	Pink Slippers when action should be directed to human values such as caring and helping
Yellow Hat spotting benefits, seeking harmony	Brown Brogues when action should be entrepreneurial and flexible
Green Hat creative alternatives, letting ideas take you where they lead	Grey Sneakers for investigation and the collection of information
Blue Hat thinking about thinking, controlling the process	Purple Riding Boots for acting out an authority role

De Bono is, of course, not a personal stylist – his advice on hats is to try them all on in succession, seeing a situation from all angles (and presenting a few jaunty ones of your own in the process, presumably). Having identified the most beneficial hat, the choice of shoes – and some occasions may demand a different style on each foot – then becomes apparent. One of the points about having a wardrobe – a selection of garbs, rather than something in MDF from MFI – is that we can select from it, hopefully judging appropriately and making a more positive impact when we get the choices right.

Rule 3 is about the psychometrics of fashion. As a born INFP, my natural style would be for a green hat, one grey sneaker and one pink slipper. And a tie simply wouldn’t suit me. It’s not a uniform – it’s just a preference.

I can adapt my style and work against innate preferences where it will be helpful to the wider situation. As a blogger, for example, I might alternate the green hat with the blue (and occasionally the black), while my footwear will be a selection from pink, grey, brown and – for editorial moments – blue. Except when editing guest contributions (for which I have a pair of purple riding boots and matching tie hidden under the desk). As a proposal writer, on the other hand – or is it foot? – I slip into a selection of black and white hats, teamed with one brown brogue and one navy formal shoe.

Just as I dress my body for the occasion – and I type with the mirth of my colleagues ringing in my ears – so we should each dress our minds and our actions as the situation arises. As a creative type, my physical wardrobe is in reality a pile of clothes on a chair. (Ok, and the floor.) But I have a ‘mental wardrobe’ – with fewer choices, and more importance placed on picking the right outfit – or outlook – for the moment.

Rule 4: gravitate towards situations that fit you, just as you will gravitate to clothes – and outlooks and cultures – that suit you. Ultimately, we pick clothes that we feel good in – and we hope that others think we look good in. Likewise, we do best when we choose roles, organisations and cultures where we fit best. And the organisations and cultures benefit from us feeling at home and relaxed, rather then feeling either like we’re in fancy dress or like a teenage bohemian forced to wear a suit by a fussing parent. For this rule, we’d like to thank the pioneering work of the Red Hat Society – an international body of woman who have adopted the individual interpretation of red hats and purple clothing (shades and styles a matter of free choice) as the cultural badge of a society of friendship and social activity.

It’s said that hemlines follow the economy, lowering in the bad times and shortening in the good. If we’ve lived through a season of long skirts, orange gumboots and red hats, the times are still a-changing. We recommend you turn up your hems and get your green hat on – it’s time to think what the best-dressed leader will be wearing next season.