leadership dot #1920: dress down

Last weekend, Major League Baseball celebrated Players Weekend and allowed the players to deviate from their standard uniforms and wear colorful attire on the field. Players were also allowed to use their nicknames on their jerseys instead of the traditional and standard last name.

Players took the field as “Cookie”, “El Mago”, “Mr. Smile” or “Toddfather”. Some used blue or purple bats or colorful cleats. It was the first time the Yankees were not in pinstripes.

All of the special jerseys were auctioned off for charity and the players probably had some fun with the variety. It was like “dress up day” at school where kids get a reprieve from wearing their uniform to come in pajamas or crazy combinations of clothes.

How can you take a page from the MLB playbook and mix up your dress code at work for a day? Maybe you allow staff to come in shorts and flip flops on a hot summer Friday. Or perhaps you go the other way and have a formal day when awards are given. Another option is to encourage spirit wear for local sporting events or to provide special t-shirts for a company occasion.

If a break with tradition can work for the Yankees, maybe your organization can hit a home run by allowing different attire for a day.

Source: Yankees break with legendary jersey tradition by Mike Fitzpatrick for the Associated Press in the Telegraph Herald, August 27, 2017, p. 4B.

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