“My boss won’t like you because you’re a young blonde woman with an Essex accent”
The leader that made me: You wouldn't judge a book by its cover, so why do it to your team, asks Magenta Associate’s MD Jo Sutherland.
Every leader knows the importance of first impressions. In just a few seconds of meeting, we make judgements about someone's trustworthiness and know-how based on how they look and sound.
So when you run a business, it makes sense to put the best person forward for external meetings - someone who will embody your company in a positive way. It might even be tempting to go with someone who is attractive and well-spoken.
But when selecting who might make a good impression on behalf of your company, leaders could be stereotyping their team members.