Do you know what lens you’re being viewed through?
People meeting you for the first time view you through various lenses: the trust lens to decide if you’re friend or foe ; the power lens to assess your usefulness; the ego lens to confirm a sense of superiority.
You can use those lenses to change impressions of you.
People in general suffer from judging a “book by its cover” syndrome. It occurs in most meetings and interviews because most people aren’t trained or disciplined enough to engage with people. Are you guilty of the same?
How can you ensure people are judging you accurately and also seeing your best side?
Anytime you meet someone for the first time, you’ll want to make sure that you are authentic. Don’t try to be someone that you’re not. People can see right through someone who is trying too hard.
- The most important thing to do to give a good impression is to set your intentions prior to your interaction. What sort of people will you be meeting? What can you offer them? What do expect to get out of the interaction? It works well to focus on what kind of energy you want to have for your event.
- Decide how you wish to project yourself. Clothing, make-up, jewelry, watches and shoes all signal something about you and people definitely take these into account when making initial judgments.
- Body language is a crucial part of first impressions. Lean in to demonstrate interest. Stop yourself from crossing your arms and legs which can signal a barrier to someone’s message. Subconscious cues to keep in mind include noticing where you point your feet, the position of your shoulders, and the way you shake hands.
- Approach people with genuine interest. You’ll have a better conversation if you’re truly interested in meeting people and are open to learning about who they are.
If you’re looking to recruit Only the best marketers. Only for Technology.
Contact Melvin Day at mday@marketingmoves.com or on +44 1932 253 352.
