I tell my kids that not everyone is going to like them and that’s okay. I also tell them that while not everyone is going to like them, that it certainly makes life easier when people do. This is especially true as an adult when navigating your social life as well as your business connections and moving up the corporate ladder.
So, whether you’re greeting a neighbor, co-worker, potential customer, or an old acquaintance at the grocery store, it helps to know how to instantly show warmth and confidence so that you can make a good first impression, and leave the other person with a positive feeling about you.
Good Attitude and Positive Energy
Even if you don’t want to be someplace, try to have a good attitude because people will pick up on your energy. If you can think, act, and look happy and exude positive energy, people will gravitate towards you and you will make a good first impression.
Have Confident Posture
If you walk into a room or go to greet someone with your head down hunched over your phone, you will not look very confident. Instead, look ahead with your back straight and shoulders back.
Smile
People will make a judgment about you before you have even spoken a word, so give off the vibe that you are a nice and warm person by smiling. Also, when you smile at someone else, they subconsciously like you because they think you like them!
Confident Handshake
Please do not ever give a “dead fish” handshake or even give a fist-bump to greet someone for the first time. Your handshake says a lot about you and people do notice. Make sure you extend your arm immediately, look the other person in the eyes, smile, and then give a firm handshake while you say your name and, “it’s nice to meet you.”
Eye Contact
It’s important to give eye contact to someone when you’re speaking to them for two reasons. First, it shows that you are a confident person. Second, it shows respect to the person you’re with. Looking at the ground, at your cell to the new text that came in, or looking over someone’s shoulder is very rude and will not impress anyone much.
Listen
People forget how important it is to really give someone your undivided attention. While many people say, “I am great at multi-tasking”, they’re not. Look at someone when they are talking (not at your phone, computer, or anything else), and show you’re actively listening by nodding your head and asking followup questions.
For more information click HERE to see today’s Fox News Good Day Charlotte segment.
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