I used to work for a financial services company and I remember vividly one of my most embarrassing moments as a new associate. I overheard a conversation about how one of our most attractive colleagues got preferential treatment because of her appearance. I thought it a lucky advantage and useful tactic to note. I mentioned my observation to one of the seniors who was not amused. Later that day, she walked past my desk and shouted, “I’m on my way to a meeting. I’ll be sure to put my lipstick on.” I could have died. But, turns out, maybe she should have. In her new book,
Erotic Capital: The Power of Attraction in the Boardroom and the Bedroom, Catherine Hakim examines the power of beauty in the workplace.
