5 seconds to make a first impression

Through my ‘fitted-in-when-I-can’ Social Psychology course on Coursera, I’ve come across some interesting research into Thin Slice methodology (Ambady and Rosenthal, 1992).

Maybe you can judge a book by its cover.  It demonstrates how, in less than 5 minutes, people can accurately come to conclusions about the emotions and attitudes of who they’re interacting with. In fact, just 5 seconds are all it takes to set someone’s perception of us and vice versa. A thin slice of their behaviour.

The same could be said for our profile on a dating site or our LinkedIn bios. A few choice words can paint a big picture.Malcolm Gladwell, in his book, Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, also explores Thin Slicing through the work of John Gottman, a well-known marital expert.

Gladwell describes how within an hour of observing a couple, Gottman could gather, with 95% accuracy, whether the couple would still be together within 15 years. But if he watched a couple for just 15 minutes, his success rate was still 90%.

"Thin-slicing is not a unique gift, it is a central part of what it means to be human." Malcom Gladwell

So how do we make a great first impression when not face to face?

• Introduce yourself with authenticity – in the current situation, empathy and solidarity will go a long way to creating a lasting first impression.
• Actively listen - give your undivided attention to whoever's speaking
• Create space for others to speak. Even more important to master when working remotely.
• Be aware of body language - yours and others. The perceived safety of a screen means we can forget that people are watching!
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Final thought.  Stay optimistic - it won't be long before a virtual handshake becomes a real one again!