Have you ever wondered what it’s like to meet you for the first time? You might think that your customers love you. You might assume that you have a dazzling presence. How can you know what people think of you when they first meet you? Who do you think you are?
When people meet you for the first time there are 6 perceptions going on all at the same time.
What they perceive:
- Who I think I am
- Who I believe you think I am
- Really who you think I am
Your side of the relationship:
- Who you think you are
- Who you believe I think you are
- Really who I think you are
It may take people as little as one hundred milliseconds (a tenth of a second) to form an impression of another person to decide whether or not he or she is attractive, trustworthy, competent and likable. According to Princeton University, that’s less time to form a rational thought.
If it took ten years to be accused of being attractive, trustworthy, competent and likable, wouldn’t it be worth it?
When you anticipate that you are going to meet someone for the very first time, consider what you could do to ensure that the person perceives you as who you actually are.
To learn more about interpersonal communication, watch Kit Welchlin’s presentation on improving your relationships here. And don’t forget to check back next Monday for another video blog.