Getting Dressed

I always thought that “you only get one first impression: is the end all-be all of sayings. Well, while it is very true, the small slice of information received that creates a first impression is built upon by the subsequent interaction. The first impression helps others determine how to interact with us. The first dace describes how we handle the entire situation and how that entire situation is perceived by others interacting with us.

55% Body Language
The first few seconds of an interaction will determine how the subsequent exchanges occur. Determined in that short time:

• Your credibility by the outfit chosen (from hair to shoes, polished or not).
• Your self worth will be understood by posture, gate, and other body language.
• Your ability is a secondary item that is determined by the first two points.
• Your trustworthiness is a secondary item determined by the first two points.

38% Voice Inflection
With a handshake and a hello a lot has already been determined. Then what happens. Ohh… the actual hello also plays a large part. This stat completely surprised me! Sound like a mouse? Are you a woman with an unusually deep voice? These traits will affect how people perceive you. So what, right?

Well, as individuals, not only must we love and find ourselves worthy of happiness we want others to find us valuable too. Anything we do that might affect or prevent others from seeing our value we can work on changing. What exactly does voice inflection mean?

• Use of gestures to help communicate a point.
• Stressing certain words or phrases by adding emphasis or drawing them out.
• The use of pause.

Your voice will tell others how you feel about the situation!

7% Words Verbalized
Afraid of being embarrassed? We all are to some extent.

While I am definitely a camera clown, I love to be the center of attention, and I like getting up in front of groups of a few to groups of several hundred. Butterflies prevail when I’ve been preparing for an event. When off the cuff is needed, I do okay, sometimes it feels more natural that preparing because I’m not potentially over thinking what needs to be presented.

Before we are comfortable speaking in front of others, we need to be comfortable with our own voice. What we sound like to ourselves, the speed at which we speak, and the way we emphasize words. Read out loud!

Whether poetry, Agatha Christie mysteries, Harry Potter, or your Real Simple Magazine subscription use printed material and create a habit of reading out loud. Not only does it help you learn your own voice it helps refine inflection, annunciation, and pronunciation. Our internal fear, those crazy butterflies and stage fright, affect our body language and voice inflection.

When interacting with a new person or group, keeping our fear in check allows us to maximize the use of the other 93% of non-verbal communication. Get used to your voice, and dance well with every interaction! Make the first moment to the last moment count because your body language, voice inflection, and words can work for you!