Monthly Archives: June 2007

A reader asks:

You’ve repeatedly mentioned your stature before and I think it must at least be a sticking point that helps people remember you, a de facto personal brand. Do you think your height has truly contributed to any measurable portion of your success thus far? I’m asking this as a five-foot-five, 140-pound 20 year-old, not because I’m concerned my height might be a hindrance or get down on myself because of it, but because I’m intrigued by it. I’m just curious about your take on it.

I’m 6′ 4″, 210 lbs and I say height doesn’t really matter, in the long run, but it certainly can make the path to a leadership position a wee bit easier. I would imagine dealing with short syndrome is like walking into a large restaurant buffet as a vegetarian — some of the dishes won’t be suitable for you, but most will be just fine. In business, some old-timers will discriminate in an ode to their high school basketball days, but most people are smart enough to not care.

He is right that an unusual characteristic can help people remember who you are. My advice to people who are “average” in outward physical appearance is to create some kind of distinction. Wear bow ties, for example.

I don’t know a lot about the Napolean complex. The reader above had to preempt possible suspicion that he feels inferior because of his height. I wonder whether simply being self-conscious about it is enough to affect behavior in group settings.

There are certainly more rigorous analyses. I am looking forward to reading this book which has been hovering on my Amazon wish list for some time. Paul Krugman discusses height explicitly (are Americans getting shorter?) in his column today; David Brooks does so in the context of designer genes.

This is a funny analysis about people who try to command, control, and influence people. Excerpts below.

The guys (and they’re usually guys) who have read a few how-to books, perhaps attended a management skills seminar or two, and now think they are on the fast-track to success-money-power. They see themselves as master schemers, and other people as pawns in their power game. They have no friends, only ‘contacts’.

Only One in Control

One way in which the schemer maintains the appearance of control is by making out that the surrounding people are losing it.

For example, a schemer may tell someone to ‘take it easy’, even when that person is taking it easy, or say ‘Relax, we have plenty of time,’ even when the other person is relaxing and is well aware that there is plenty of time. Other typical phrases are ‘It’s important that we maintain a sense of focus here,’ and ‘Let’s keep our minds on the task at hand.’

Inventing a Crisis

One way to do this is to attempt to prolong a crisis that has long since passed: for example, schemers like to step in after arguments are over and ask everyone to calm down. Another way is to keep creating non-existent deadlines that must be met. A crisis can be found in almost anything if the schemer looks hard enough: a missing teacup, dirty laundry, a delayed bus. All that matters is that the schemer gets there first and makes himself look in control.