Great post. I know a man who routinely walks into rooms full of senior leaders in ill-fitting and crumpled clothes and still manages to impress everyone. What this tells me is not that he is particularly brilliant (although he is) or particularly laid back. What this tells me is that he is so completely secure in his own belonging in that room that he knows they will take him seriously no matter what he wears. That security is the definition of privilege.
Whereas women, people with a different accent, people from a different social class, anyone who doesn't look like they were born to sit in that room, learn that they do have to dress the part or use the title, not necessarily because they care more about status, but because they have found through experience that people just look through them if they don’t. You can call it insecurity or poor taste but I think it's often just an adaptation to how the world responds.
I'm glad your awards and distinctions are still up Mickey. Mine are too. I don't know if that means I'm not elite enough, or because I'm the first in my family to get some of these things. I just know I'm proud of them, and my parents would be proud of them, and don't want them getting dusty in some drawer hidden away. Great post.
Great post. I know a man who routinely walks into rooms full of senior leaders in ill-fitting and crumpled clothes and still manages to impress everyone. What this tells me is not that he is particularly brilliant (although he is) or particularly laid back. What this tells me is that he is so completely secure in his own belonging in that room that he knows they will take him seriously no matter what he wears. That security is the definition of privilege.
Whereas women, people with a different accent, people from a different social class, anyone who doesn't look like they were born to sit in that room, learn that they do have to dress the part or use the title, not necessarily because they care more about status, but because they have found through experience that people just look through them if they don’t. You can call it insecurity or poor taste but I think it's often just an adaptation to how the world responds.
Great comment, very insightful
I'm glad your awards and distinctions are still up Mickey. Mine are too. I don't know if that means I'm not elite enough, or because I'm the first in my family to get some of these things. I just know I'm proud of them, and my parents would be proud of them, and don't want them getting dusty in some drawer hidden away. Great post.