Are first impressions important?

Would you like to improve your first impressions?

In her new book, “Presence”, Professor Amy Cuddy of Harvard Business School states that people are looking for the answers to two questions upon meeting you. They are;

• Can I trust this person?
• Can I respect this person?

But what are those questions really looking for?

I believe they are trying to find out if you have warmth and are competent. If you were to re-read this last sentence and ask yourself this question; ‘Which of those traits; warmth and competence, are more important in business?’ What would your answer be?

According to Professor Cuddy’s research most people think competence is the most important. But surprisingly warmth or trustworthiness is the most significant factor in how people evaluate you. Yes, competence is important but it is only examined after people decide if you are trustworthy.

As Professor Cuddy concludes; “A warm, trustworthy person who is also strong elicits admiration, but only after you’ve established trust does your strength become a gift rather than a threat.”

What can you do today to increase your warmth or trustworthiness?