I used to think a clipboard did the trick. Carry one around, walk with purpose and people will listen.
The clipboard says authority like nothing else. Or so I once thought.
But now there is a hands-free tool towards instant escalation to management. And that is the lanyard.
Now I’m not talking about the frivolous cruise-shop type lanyard. There should be no sequins or fancy stuff if you really want to be taken seriously.
I am talking something plain, something light, something serious or perhaps something printed with something plain, something light or something serious.
The lanyard-of-authority is the new corporate weapon.
There are a variety of ways to wear said lanyard. While many favour the swinging-around-the-neck look, others like to tuck the end of the lanyard into their pockets. Then there’s the lanyard popped inside your shirt (sometimes these people are so important, just seeing the top of the lanyard peeking out of the shirt is sufficient to arouse required respect).
There are those who like to include a long string thing to it and connect it to the stirrups on their pants.
Clearly this lanyard is so important, it requires additional security.
The big trick to the lanyard is that people rarely check out what is actually on the end of the lanyard. It could be a set of keys. It could also be various swipe cards and who knows just how important and necessary these are. The key does not say ‘locker with lunch inside’ so really any key will do (even if it is to a locker with your lunch inside). It is the idea that those keys or swipe cards lead to somewhere important or impressive that has you hooked.
The intrigue and mystique of the lanyard could be open to manipulation. There could be those among us who pop on their professional looking lanyard with illicit intent. And there could be those who just want to enter Lanyard Kingdom and walk around in the glory just for a bit. Then open their lockers and eat their lunch.
