The key to a great first impression
The key to a great first impression is not what you think it is.
Remember, you don’t get a second chance.
You’re being judged the minute someone lays eyes on you. More important than clothing and grooming, setting that first impression is your posture. I don’t care what your profession is. I don’t care if it’s presenting to the Board of Directors, participating in a one-on-one meeting, or delivering a keynote speech to 1000 people in a huge auditorium, your posture sets the initial impression. I don’t care if you’re sitting, standing, walking into a room, or waiting to be called upon, your posture is a key factor in building trust and the ability to show authority before you open your mouth to speak. Your physical presence is sending a clear message to viewers.
Your posture is a key factor in how you sound the minute you do open your mouth. Vocal quality, tone, and resonance are all affected by posture. It is said “no breath, no voice.” How true in so many ways. But let’s focus on the ways you speak. The clearer the path from the diaphragm — the muscle under the lungs — through the vocal cords and out the mouth the better your tonality. Tonality is the full effect of your voice heard by others.
The following is a simple exercise for you to understand what I’m writing about. Take a deep breath and hum one note and hold it. While you’re holding the note put your chin down to your neck, bend your body in the middle, lean backwards, twist, lean to one side or another and you will hear the differences in that tone. If you can’t hear it, I recommend you record yourself with your smart phone or a recorder during the exercise. The playback will move any doubt what you truly sound like to others when you change body posture.
Mind, voice and body in sync is the key to a great first impression.
As a coach, trainer and consultant, Larry Blumsack partners with people and organizations on the move and those already there to accelerate their communication, presentation and speaking skills to be on par with their ambition. Through one-on-one coaching and group training Larry helps leaders and aspiring leaders elevate their presence and communication skills to influence more people, sell more products-services-ideas and inspire others more successfully than they ever imagined.
Larry is the bestselling author of Face-to-Face is The Ultimate Social Media and founder of Zoka Institute and Zoka Training®. Zoka Training® — Mind/Voice/Body/Mindfulness in sync — is the result of Larry’s 45 years as a coach, acting teacher, actor, voice-over artist, theater and TV director/producer, radio & TV commentator and show host, speaker, trainer, serial entrepreneur, and syndicated columnist. Larry was a founding member of the theater department at Northeastern University.
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