Clothing choices for women have switched back and forth between pant and skirt suits. I recommend a dress with a jacket to clients. It’s easy to wear a dress, especially a sleeveless one (which stays cool under a jacket) and dresses flatter most figures. Also, dresses and skirts are rising in popularity because executive women want to move away from pants. Hugo Boss has several striking dress and jacket combinations available during their anniversary sale.

Recently the world has been hit with major tragedies. Situations arose where we have been indirectly in contact with those directly affected. It’s important to actively listen and offer sympathy with a simple “I am sorry”. Offering commentary on the event is best kept to yourself unless you have faced a similar situation. Active listening offers much more than event analysis to the person in pain.

When choosing eyewear follow these steps:

Decide on the occasions when you will wear your eyewear, e.g., for business casual or for weekend sports

Comfort is critical – with the right fit you won’t even know you are wearing them

Round faces will look better with more angular and defined shapes

Oval faces can wear almost any frame shape

Frames should not appear too wide on your face

Black and tortoise shell frames have been longstanding successful staples

Frames are getting smaller and rounder according to Garret Leight of California Optical — www.garretttlieght.com

The 2016 presidential election campaign is like none we have seen before, and the challenges associated with avoiding conversations which can alienate colleagues, bosses, and customers are greater than ever. Innocent ice-breakers under the most informal of circumstances can turn passionate. Given the state of polarized feelings on political topics, it might be best to plan in advance just how far you are willing to go in stating your preferences, and how, exactly, you should express them. Restraint might be your best default. Conveying an attitude of open-mindedness can temper the decibel level.

Connect with the interviewer – do your research on the company, position, and industry. Know their competition, their strengths and what make their employees happy. This helps you generate impactful questions, letting the interviewer know you understand their opportunities and challenges.

Be able to talk about yourself – prevent an interrogation by the interviewer. Practice talking about yourself with a friend. Video a mock interview of yourself to see how you can strengthen your presence. When you do, be prepared to see a different person on the video than the one you think you are.

Be memorable – follow up professionally even if you are not offered the position. You got your foot in the door this time. Make sure they think of you next time.

In recent years, the classy way to wear rings meant that less is more. One or two on each hand was the norm. A few years ago, a Chicago fashion setter was featured in many articles wearing three to four rings of varying sizes on each hand.

When shopping at a high-end store, I noticed the sales person waiting on me wore two rings (designer with the initials DY) on each finger, plus she had a ring on her middle toe. Because she was in the fashion industry selling jewelry, this was acceptable. In everyday business settings my recommendation is to use jewelry as an accent, not as a main focus.

In a recent primary election, the winner did not push her competitor to concede because she had lost badly eight years ago and understood the pain. This reminded me of a loss I experienced some years ago that I did not handle well. It took the care of a few close colleagues to help me realize the bigger picture and apologize to the winner. Years later, I went on to be the president of the group. The point is that we will experience many wins and losses in our lives. Remember to be graceful for both occasions. It’s especially wise if you want to maintain many working relationships as you move forward.

Improv is about making the person next to you look good. I took a year of Improv at Second City in Chicago to help me be a better speaker. It also helped me design some experiential programs for speaking to audiences about personal branding and interpersonal skills. Improv helps in networking where thinking on your feet is useful because it encourages you to begin a conversation that is inclusive and not intrusive. Improv recently was featured in the New York Times business section on how team Improv can build creativity in thinking.

It is interesting to see flip flops become somewhat of a main footwear choice on Main Street. Flip flops are designed now in every material from rubber to upscale leather. Recently, at a 5-Star restaurant for dinner, I was disappointed to see men wearing leather flip flops! It was a dinner not lunch. There are so many cool casual shoes that resorting to flip flops is not necessary.

Recently, in the Chicago Tribune business section, they highlighted the best companies to work for. Being open to discussion, listening to issues and ensuring they are noted and providing a safe place for personal situations are three areas that make companies good to work for. Teams that are successful are led by CEOs who act as thought partners. As a leader, you empower your team to succeed with timelines and accountability along with listening to any issues that arise. How that is done will always be important in meeting employee goals and exceeding expectations.