It is so much more than what you wear and how you speak – though it certainly does involve a combination of these. When you walk in the door it doesn’t matter how good the logo, brochure or website supporting you, nor how intelligent or how well qualified you are. Today, you need high personal impact to give you that extra competitive edge.
First impressions
But that is a decision others make about you, not you. It is their perception of you, the impression you leave with them at that all-important first encounter that will win you – or lose you – the deal, the job, or whatever else is at stake. YOU are your own best Business Card©. Many critical judgements are made within the first 20 seconds of meeting a person. Appearing confident is all-important. After all, if you don’t come over as believing in yourself – and what you are saying – why would anyone else? In crude terms, confidence conveys success and success conveys that you must be good at what you do as people have bought you – and often. It makes other people want to do the same. And so, looking and sounding successful actually contributes to making you even more so.
Judgements are made, usually subconsciously, about honesty, intelligence, competence, background, education, type of work, status, ability, professional potential, earning capacity and professionalism, personality, aptitudes – and your Impact as well as numerous others. Research proves they are most unlikely to ever be reversed, usually never even re-considered. Although only assumptions, they become our reality.
It is therefore only sensible to make the very best first impression you can.
Being a positive presence
If others assess you as high impact and (subconsciously) assume that to be consistent, you will be thought of a positive presence. It means that they note you (i.e. ‘reckon’ you!), will listen to you, take you seriously, respect you and remember you. You will have been judged as confident, authentic and comfortable with who you are and then have the credibility and gravitas to inspire and influence them.
It is hard to define this mystical, magical personal impact and although we all know instantly when someone else has it, it is difficult to know about our own impact level and how to increase it.
It is others’ decision but based on the way they perceive us. So to adjust a perception, we first have to analyse how it’s made in the first place. This is so very simple that it is, in my view, often complicated by a lot of irrelevant psycho-babble. Their judgements can only be based on information which they receive. They do so exclusively through their senses and that’s it in a nutshell. It’s a composite of all that ‘they’ hear, ‘they’ see, feel (as in touch) and smell with some possible influence from their emotional baggage, personal prejudices or a prior expectation borne out of your reputation.
Of course, choice of clothes are important – be they dress up or dress down – but it is how we wear them that creates the total picture. It is most definitely not based on how much you can spend. Perfect fit, immaculate grooming, appropriate accessories and co-ordinating add the finishing touches that convey the necessary polish. So does what is seen and read subconsciously. Non-verbal behaviour – your body language including your handshake, physiology, smile, eye contact, posture and movement, facial expression and active listening skills too.
What we say and how we say it is all-important: tone, pitch, pace, volume, the power of pause, clarity and inflexion all play their part. However, it is the way your message is communicated – the voice together with non-verbal behaviour – that most affects how it is understood by others. The meaning, the intention behind the words, the nuances come from the sound of the voice added to your body language and facial expression.
Take yourself apart…
To define your image each component needs to be scrutinised and improved where necessary. Then all must be harmonised and integrated to produce one clear, positive and unequivocal message about you. There is absolutely no point in sporting a stunning new suit and great shoes whilst having a dull, monotonous voice and an unattractive walk.
You have no choice. You are an image and others will have a perception about you whether you want it or not. My advice therefore is go with it. Use your image to your advantage.
You can check your own personal impact factor with the simple test below, ticking the box for ‘yes’.
Do you?
| Inspire |
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| Simplify concepts and ideas |
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| Hold others’ attention |
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| Believe that almost anything can be changed for the better |
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| Remember personal details about others and impress them with what you recall about them |
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| Change the mood of people when you enter a room or conversation |
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| Alter others’ opinions without shouting or crying |
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| Demonstrate an interest in people |
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Are you?
| Open to other’ unconventional ideas |
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| A cotemporary person |
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| Definite but not dogmatic |
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| Consistent |
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| Seen as a role model |
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| Usualy remembered |
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| Noticed in a room of people |
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| Taken seriously when you present a fact, an opinion, a new idea |
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| A good listener and mostly remember what you hear |
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| Usually calm, composed, in control |
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| Articulate and understood |
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| Passionate about your work and other things that you are interested in |
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How did you score?
If you answered yes to 5 or less questions
You definitely need to think hard about raising your impact.
If you answered yes to 5 to 10 questions
Consider how people see and hear you, and make some adjustments.
If you answered yes to 10 to 15 questions
You have great potential, just need a little tweaking.