“The character or reputation of a person or thing as generally perceived” is the definition of “Image in the Concise Oxford Dictionary. Within seconds of meeting you, based on a single observed physical trait or behavior, people will assume to know everything about you (as is explained in the 2003 book Social Psychology by H. Andrew Michener, John D. Delamater, and Daniel J. Myers).
Light travels faster than sound, hence you speak volumes with non-verbal communication before you are even heard. This is why, before even uttering a word your visual image will say a multitude about you. Research by Social psychologist Dr. Albert Mehrabian of UCLA, appearance and body language (visual image with dress, grooming, body language, etc.) accounts for fifty-five percent of an invaluable first impression, 38 percent on the way we sound (the tone and pitch of our voice, accent, etc.) and just 7 percent on what we have to say. In any case of a contradiction between your words and your body language, body language always prevails.
Perceptions do count and are usually accurate. Nalani Ambady of the Harvard Department of Psychology observed the length of time it takes to form a first impression by recording ten second video clips of individual professors. She showed the clips to a group of students and asked them to rate and evaluate each professor. When Ambady compared these students’ evaluations with those from students who had actually taken the professors’ classes for the entire semester, the correlation was amazing. Students from the first group were able to formulate similar impressions in only ten seconds verses having seen the professors for an entire semester.
Judging books by their covers, houses are appraised by their curb appeal, and people are initially evaluated on how they choose to dress, behave and gestures. In a perfect world this is not fair, moral, or just. It’s a trait we all have and do without meaning to. What’s inside should count a great deal more. Eventually it may, but not right away and if you have the opportunity to form a lasting bond. In the meantime, a lot of opportunities can be lost. As we control the power and Cruz control for how we portray ourselves to the world. In transformational learning, the idea is to start at a place that is most visible and allows for immediately recognized results. Wardrobe, grooming, and nonverbal communication are aspects that are apparent and have the quickest and effective outcome to the world. This is why reality shows(Idol, Next top Model, America’s Top Chef ect.) are very popular the transformations through out the shows are amazing. Remember Susan Boyles? Combined, these factors can frame us as competent, knowledgeable, elegant, gracious, powerful, or anything else we choose to communicate.
Therefore, if you want to be the best you can possibly be in sales or business, career or personally the first impression you exude is crucial to your success. Work on it, polish it, and practice it!
