Have You Ever Looked for a Second Chance to Make a First Impression?

by Robert Hackman

Photograph by Matej Photography on Pexels

While you see a chance, take it

Lyric from the song ‘While You See a Chance’
By Steve Winwood and Will Jennings

 

Have you ever looked for a second chance to make a first impression? Unfortunately, I have. Guilty as charged. 

Several years ago, I attended a business networking event with my mind in an entirely different place than where it should have been. While interacting with the other attendees, I talked about myself and my new consulting and coaching business. I did so in ways that came off as slick and self-serving, spouting some talking points I had developed.  

As a result, others’ first impression of me was that I was ‘selling’ and self-focused rather than someone curious about their interests and looking for ways to be helpful.  

This did not match my values.  My desire was to develop rapport and initiate relationships while seeking points of intersection. But that is not the impression I gave.  

I found myself looking for a second chance to make a first impression!  

Ouch!

What are the implications of poor First Impressions? What occurs that causes us to want another chance at a First Impression? How can we avoid missteps and create the resonance we want for ourselves and our company? 

What Are the Implications of a Poor First Impression?

First impressions last the longest, so their consequences are magnified. As a result, the First Impressions must be considered and managed appropriately. 

Lousy initial impressions introduce mistrust. Thus, overcoming poor first impressions is challenging and requires intensive energy and time. We may never be given another opportunity to gain trust. Even if we get one, we may be unable to overcome others’ initial perceptions of us. 

What Causes Us to Want a Second Chance to Make a First Impression?

1. A lack of thoughtfulness and preparation. 
2. We have not decided on the impression we want to make.
3. We do not stay in the present moment.
4. We focus on ourselves instead of others, failing to listen well. We may fail to adequately consider others’ perspectives and how they might receive our communication when we speak. 
5. We forget to prioritize and allocate time, thought, and energy to ensure the intent and accuracy of our communication ahead of time and in the moment.  
6. We ignore the adage that often ‘less is more’ and ramble without consideration for other people’s interests. 
7. We forget the goal of meeting others is to develop rapport and establish a connection with them, not to incubate a full-fledged relationship on the spot. 

How can we avoid these missteps and create the resonance we want for ourselves and our company? 

Authenticity, connection, and positive intent are primary attributes of the First Impressions we desire. Being ourselves and revealing the parts of us that are relevant to our audience and situation is critical. The results can be deadly when we fail to focus on these fundamentals. 

Conscious preparation helps us employ these elements more consistently. Some steps to consider for both in-person and virtual interactions and written communication:    

1. Prioritize your purpose and get centered on the parts of yourself that you want to bring forth. 
2. Remain curious, listen generously, and consider other’s interests, needs, and priorities. Ask compelling questions and wait for the answers.
3. Prepare for the types of people you are trying to connect with. Seek relevant intersections between their interests and your own. 
4. Practice what you want to say and how to say it to other people and colleagues ahead of time. Request feedback from a separate set of eyes on important written communications before sending.  
5. Ask clarifying questions of others and yourself. Are you open to meeting with them in the future? What is your preferred method of communication? How can I best follow up? And then pay attention to the answers you receive. 

Companies need to manage First Impressions, too. While we all inherently understand their disproportionate impact, few firms take them to heart in the ways that they could. 

How can we improve our Organization’s First Impressions? 

1. Determine where, when, and how stakeholders first interact with your organization and identify what they are looking for.
2. Update Websites and other Marketing Collateral regularly, including their look, feel, and functionality. 
3. Align Sales and Marketing Initiatives to ensure consistent, integrated, on-brand messages are conveyed to stakeholders and infuse them to everyone in the company.  
4. Readily Adopt New Communication Channels that correspond to changing preferences. 
5. Establish and convey your Purpose, Principles, and Strategy, and train your associates to align themselves and their actions with them. 
6. Attune Operations and Service Departments to First Impressions. Inform these departments when they are handling new client work. Develop and implement corresponding systems and processes to acknowledge new customers, welcome them, and ensure the organization puts its best foot forward. Attune them to their impact on initial perceptions.

The opportunities to improve the First impressions we make professionally, individually, and as an organization are endless. We must make a conscious effort to pay attention to them and respond accordingly. The significance of not doing so is profound and long-lasting. 

You never get a second chance to make an excellent First Impression. Wishing for do-overs won’t cut it. 

Wouldn’t you and your company rather reap the benefits from doing what it takes to get them right the first time? 

Worthy Inquiries: 

1. Have you ever made a bad First Impression? If so, how did it feel? What were the consequences?
2. Have you ever successfully overcome a poor First Impression? How much effort did it take?
3. Do you intentionally manage the First Impressions you want to make? How does preparation allow you to remain authentically present during your interactions? 
4. Do you listen well? What role can listening generously play in others’ initial perceptions of you?
5. Have your leaders identified how stakeholders first encounter your company? What steps do they take to create the First Impressions they want? 

Please reach out to me to discuss your thoughts on leadership and to determine the impact its development can have on you, your team, or your organization. I welcome the conversation.

Robert Hackman, Principal, 4C Consulting – Courageously Curious Consulting and Coaching, helps people live and lead with fewer regrets. He grows and develops leaders through executive coaching, strategy consulting, facilitation, and training of individuals, teams, and organizations. He is committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. He facilitates trusting environments that promote uncommonly candid conversations. Rob is also passionate about the power of Everyday Legacies and developing Legacy Mindsets. He has conducted over 50 Legacy interviews with people to date. 

A serious man with a dry sense of humor who loves absurdity. Rob can often be found hiking rocky elevations or making music playlists. His varied mixes, including Pandemic Playlists and Music About Men, can be found on Spotify.

Bravely bring your curiosity to a conversation with Rob, schedule via voice or text @ 484.800.2203 or rhackman@4cconsulting.net.