Making that Impression

When you meet people, at work, in interviews, at parties, there is a lot of judging going on, and the good or bad impression you make usually isn’t based on the words you say. A recent article in Forbes magazine suggests that you’re most often evaluated on your unconscious behaviors, the things you probably never think about.

For instance? Apparently corporate interviewers are now in the habit of taking potential new hires to lunch, and watching how they treat the wait staff.  If you’re especially nice to the interviewers and other “important” people, but treat the waiter with disdain or indifference, then the conclusion is that you’d be a jerk with subordinates and support staff if hired into the office environment.

Checking your phone during a conversation is considered a sign of many negative things: a lack of respect, inability to give someone your full attention, poor listening skills, and, interestingly, a lack of willpower. At the least, it lowers the quality of face-to-face interactions.

People also notice how long it takes you to show interest and curiosity about them. We’ve all experienced conversations where someone talked about themselves the entire time; your conclusion is that they are loud, self-absorbed “takers.” People who ask questions and show an interest in the other person give off the impression that they will be reciprocators who work well in teams.

Showing up late for the meeting or engagement is always a turn-off to new relationships, leading people to think that you lack respect and tend to procrastinate—or, worse, that you’re lazy or disinterested. Interestingly, research shows that this is usually not the case—that tardiness is typically seen in people who multitask, or are high in relaxed, Type B personality traits.  But you should recognize the impression you’re making, however fair or unfair it may be.

The point here is that what you say matters less than what you do when people are evaluating you as a friend, colleague, romantic interest or new hire. If you want to change how you’re perceived, addressing these nonverbal tendencies would be a great start.

Stay Diversified, Stay YOUR Course!

 

Empyrion Wealth Management (“Empyrion”) is an investment advisor registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Information pertaining to Empyrion’s advisory operations, services and fees is set forth in Empyrion’s current Form ADV Part 2A brochure, copies of which are available upon request at no cost or at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov. The views expressed by the author are the author’s alone and do not necessarily represent the views of Empyrion. The information contained in any third-party resource cited herein is not owned or controlled by Empyrion, and Empyrion does not guarantee the accuracy or reliability of any information that may be found in such resources. Links to any third-party resource are provided as a courtesy for reference only and are not intended to be, and do not act as, an endorsement by Empyrion of the third party or any of its content. The standard information provided in this blog is for general purposes only and should not be construed as, or used as a substitute for, financial, investment or other professional advice. If you have questions regarding your financial situation, you should consult your financial planner or investment advisor.

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