The Power of First Impressions
Photo credit: Here’s Kate on Flickr
I was reading “How to Connect in Business in 90 Seconds or Less” by Nicholas Boothman and learned of a study done at Harvard that I found extremely interesting and very applicable to both everyday life and to our networking and job searching.
A researcher named Dr. Nalini Ambady filmed a teacher instructing a class, and then showed two-second clips of the footage to two different groups of students. One group consisted of the teacher’s students, and the other group consisted of students who had never met the teacher before. These two groups were asked to rate the teacher on her educational abilities and personal attributes. Interestingly, BOTH groups rated the teacher the same…meaning that the two-second first impression was strong enough to create an image of a person whom the second group barely knew!
Consider the power of first impressions when you are networking: the people you meet are judging you after only a few seconds, so make sure you are giving a positive first impression.
Here are a few suggestions offered by Boothman to help you:
1. Make eye contact – Your eyes are what emit authority and give what you are saying focus and direction.
Activity: For a full day, notice the eye colour of every person you interact with (you don’t have to memorize the colour, just notice it).
2. Smile – A smile brings positive energy, indicates you are approachable and makes people feel they can trust you. Also, it makes you feel more confident. As the saying goes, “Fake it ‘till you make it!”
Activity: If you have a difficult time smiling, try looking at yourself in a mirror and say “great” in as many ways as you can: angry, happy, sad, loud, soft, like Donald Duck… This will likely get you laughing! Repeat this once a day for three days. Then when you go to meet someone, say “great” under your breath and you will be sure to smile!
3. Be aware of your posture – Having your arms folded and tight to your chest can suggest that you are closed-off and stressed. Make sure your shoulders are relaxed and your body is facing the person you are speaking to.
