Are You Using Your “Soft Power”?

What it is and how to be aware of yours.

Photo by Nicola Giordano

Working at a well-known consulting firm about 15 years ago, our team was interviewing for a new manager.

The plan was to interview three candidates that morning and then our team of seven would meet and decide which one to hire.

One guy we interviewed had braces. Old school metal braces which looked somewhat odd on an adult. I’m not being mean; it’s just not something you see every day and it’s what I remember about him over a decade later. I don’t remember any of the other candidates, or even who we hired — except that it wasn’t him.

The person stood out and he stood out because he had braces as an adult. He might have had a medical reason, been in an accident, or he might have simply wanted straight teeth. He didn’t mention it. We were all left to wonder and to recognize it’s none of our business.

We live in a visual world.

Later that afternoon when the interviews were done, no one said anything about his braces in our meeting, but I’m betting it’s what the others remember too. It wasn’t appropriate to say anything, so we didn’t.

Here’s the point, we’re visual animals and if you get an interview, people are going to remember something about you. Add…