Why First Impressions Matter
By: Eliz Nestorov
Looking good is important to people throughout the world. Recent studies have shown that physical appearance is important in terms of happiness, social life and the ability to get ahead. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines image as a mental conception of a person or organization. In other words, image is the belief that we have about someone or something. It may be the impression we form when meeting someone new, or it may be an individual’s or company’s reputation that has developed over time. Our impressions about other people may be based on how they look, talk or behave. A person’s overall image may consist of a variety of factors including their clothing, grooming, tone of voice, vocabulary, facial expressions, eye contact, gestures, and social behaviors known as etiquette. Just as individuals have an image, so do companies. While public opinion about a corporation can be influenced by advertising, there are many other factors involved in developing a company’s image. Image matters because people often make assumptions based on limited information. Developing excellent communication skills is absolutely essential to effective leadership. The leader must be able to share knowledge and ideas to transmit a sense of urgency and enthusiasm to others. If a leader can’t get a message across clearly and motivate others to act on it, then having a message doesn’t even matter.
There are certain techniques and tools used to help us with creating our professional image aka our self-brand. The ABC’s of a professional imprint are: A-appearance or how we look, B-behavior or how we act, and C-communication or how we talk. A professional imprint, which is a major part of your personal branding, requires all three components:
Appearance – your total look, the way you present yourself from head to toe, what others see when they see you.
Behavior – your attitude and the way you behave that makes a significant difference in how others see and judge you.
Communication – your ability to communicate with others, for better or worse.
What you do and say contributes to the impression you make.. However, if you mess up with your appearance first, it will be harder for you to be perceived as professional based on your behavior or communication skills afterwards. Therefore, appearance first! Your image is the first thing immediately available to others.
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