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@fantaghiro 2016-06-23T10:04:13.000000Z 字数 14911 阅读 9565

B1U2T1 A Hairy Issue for Today's Executive

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Jim French, the bearded chief executive of UK budget airline Flybe, recently went to an awards dinner for entrepreneurs. In an audience of around a hundred, he says, there was only one other beard in the room.
"I have had it my entire adult life, so I don't really think about it much," he says. "But when you start to look around they are pretty rare -- you don't meet many people with proper beards in business."
Why is this? Is the beard a bar to career advancement? Do managers unconsciously discriminate against those with facial hair?

Jim French, the bearded chief executive of UK budget airline Flybe, recently went to an awards dinner for entrepreneurs.

In an audience of around a hundred, he says, there was only one other beard in the room.

Is the beard a bar to career advancement?

Do managers unconsciously discriminate against those with facial hair?

Although rare, there are several notable beards in British boardrooms. Sir Richard Branson says his has never caused him any problems. "In some ways [British business] has a rather dated view of the beard. Thousands of people try to become Sir Alan Sugar's apprentice every year. Larry Ellison has done pretty well sporting a beard and many of the new generation of dotcom millionaires have heavy stubble."
He adds that his beard has been with him throughout his creer: "I have never shaved and have had a beard since I was sixteen and it's done me no harm. In some ways it has helped me stand out from the crowd."

Although rare, there are several notable beards in British boardrooms.

Sir Richard Branson says his has never caused him any problems.

In some ways [British business] has a rather dated view of the beard.

Thousands of people try to become Sir Alan Sugar's apprentice every year.

Larry Ellison has done pretty well sporting a beard and many of the new generation of dotcom millionaires have heavy stubble.

it's done me no harm

In some ways it has helped me stand out from the crowd.

Indeed, the best known business beards -- Branson, Sir Alan Sugar, Larry Ellison and Felix Dennis all belong in the category of mavericks. Their unconventional facial hair fits with their unconventional personalities and ways of doing business. Perhaps, then, if you have the confidence to wear facial hair in the first place, it will not be a bushy bar to success.

Indeed, the best known business beards -- Branson, Sir Alan Sugar, Larry Ellison and Felix Dennis all belong in the category of mavericks.

Their unconventional facial hair fits with their unconventional personalities and ways of doing business.

if you have the confidence to wear facial hair in the first place, it will not be a bushy bar to success.

Beards were not always as sparse as they are now. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, facial hair was the norm. John D Rockefeller sported variously a moustache and an impressive pair of mutton chops; Andrew Carnegie was bearded; Alexander Graham Bell Luxuriantly so. So too in politics: no less than five US presidents have sported full beards, but the last was in 1893; in Britain the vogue for executive facial hair lingered on, although for some reason prime ministers have tended to favour the moustache.

Beards were not always as sparse as they are now.

John D Rockefeller sported variously a moustache and an impressive pair of mutton chops; Andrew Carnegie was bearded; Alexander Graham Bell luxuriantly so.

So too in politics

no less than five US presidents have sported full beards, but the last was in 1893

in Britain the vogue for executive facial hair lingered on, although for some reason prime ministers have tended to favour the moustache

But that was then. "Beards were much more common in the 1960s and 1970s and then almost totally disappeared in the 1980s," says Cary Cooper, professor of organisational psychology (and beard wearer) at Lancaster University. Indeed, the lines of most modern executive are Gillete-smooth, sleek and untroubled by whiskers.

Indeed, the lines of most modern executive are Gillete-smooth, sleek and untroubled by whiskers.

Clean-shaven style guru Peter York says that the beard's rarity in business mirrors its rarity in society as a whole. "There aren't many beards these days -- and goatees don't really count." Proper beards, he explains, are seen as for the middle-aged, with connotations of the Woodstock generation.
"They say anti-capitalist or academic. If you ask a recruitment consultant, one of the first things they will say is 'Ditch the beard'." In certain areas -- the public sector, academia and information technology -- the beard may have a little more currency, he adds -- but not in the City or the Wall Street.

Clean-shaven style guru Peter York says that the beard's rarity in business mirrors its rarity in society as a whole.

There aren't many beards these days -- and goatees don't really count.

Proper beards, he explains, are seen as for the middle-aged, with connotations of the Woodstock generation.

They say anti-capitalist or academic.

If you ask a recruitment consultant, one of the first things they will say is 'Ditch the beard'.

In certain areas -- the public sector, academia and information technology -- the beard may have a little more currency, he adds -- but not in the City or the Wall Street.

Many armed forces throughout the world have "no beard" policies although these tend to make exceptions for religious and practical sensibilities -- for instance, a member of the special forces might grow a beard to blend in to a particular environment.
As with the armed forces, so with the police. The New York Police Department recently told its officers to shave and undercover cops can do as they see fit. In Houston, Taxas, four policemen are suing the city and its police department over a beard ban for officers, claiming their pay and status have been reduced and that the ban unfairly singles out those with skin conditions.

Many armed forces throughout the world have "no beard" policies although these tend to make exceptions for religious and practical sensibilities -- for instance, a member of the special forces might grow a beard to blend in to a particular environment.

As with the armed forces, so with the police.

The New York Police Department recently told its officers to shave and undercover cops can do as they see fit.

In Houston, Taxas, four policemen are suing the city and its police department over a beard ban for officers, claiming their pay and status have been reduced and that the ban unfairly singles out those with skin conditions.

Our attitudes to facial hair are greatly shaped by culture. In the Middle East, India, South America and Asia beards are far more common and may appear almost as soon as their owners can grow one. And even in the West, Latin and Germanic countries are more pro-beard than the smooth-cheeked Anglosphere. It is certainly advisable for ambitious business wearers to keep a neat beard. "If I see a scruffy beard, I think scruffy bugger," says Mr. French. "A long beard just says ZZ Top -- it becomes comical," concurs Mr. York.

Our attitudes to facial hair are greatly shaped by culture.

And even in the West, Latin and Germanic countries are more pro-beard than the smooth-cheeked Anglosphere.

It is certainly advisable for ambitious business wearers to keep a neat beard.

"If I see a scruffy beard, I think scruffy bugger," says Mr. French.

"A long beard just says ZZ Top -- it becomes comical," concurs Mr. York.

So will the full-strength beard -- as opposed to the watered-down goatee -- ever make a comeback in the workplace?
Mr. York doubts it. "The modern world is all about ultra-grooming, which gives an impression of wealth and efficiency. And a beard is a serious commitment -- you can't just change it like a tie."
As for Britain's best-known business beardie, Sir Richard Branson says the future of his facial hair is by no means certain, if his latest venture bears fruit: "I am a little concerned that my beard could be at risk in space. One of our early customers for Virgin Galactic is determined to shave my beard off whilst weightless."

So will the full-strength beard -- as opposed to the watered-down goatee -- ever make a comeback in the workplace?

The modern world is all about ultra-grooming, which gives an impression of wealth and efficiency.

And a beard is a serious commitment -- you can't just change it like a tie.

As for Britain's best-known business beardie, Sir Richard Branson says the future of his facial hair is by no means certain, if his latest venture bears fruit

I am a little concerned that my beard could be at risk in space. One of our early customers for Virgin Galactic is determined to shave my beard off whilst weightless.

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