It is often seen that those who are good at influencing personal impact and presence, consequently leave a strong impression – good or bad – and become the best negotiators, debaters and leaders.
Transfer this into the corporate world and it is these types of personalities, those who appear to possess confidence and strong communication skills that make the best applicants, managers and directors. They naturally inspire, motivate, and incite trust and authority through their presence.
It has been calculated that first impressions are formed in just seven seconds and are confirmed over the next five minutes. Once confirmed, it has been shown that this initial impact is very difficult to change.
Take the dating world as an example, how often is it the case that nerves get the better of people and put their potential partner off – regardless of how perfect a match they are on paper; the same is often seen in the business world.
The more senior level you lead at, the higher one’s exposure. Consequently, it is vital that you are heard and seen in a manner that generates a positive and compelling presence from the moment you enter a room, as well as inducing a confident and engaging impact after you leave.
The key to success lies in not resenting and resisting first impressions, but instead enhancing your own personality to influence your impact and presence. In essence strengthening and building your personal brand, social goodwill and reputation, and tailoring it to your goals.
Here are some key secrets for business leaders to influence personal impact, create first impressions and enhance your personal goodwill:
Defining personal presence is quite a feat as it can vary considerably based on the first impressions you make and the perception of respondents. However on the contrary, it is very easy to detect someone with exceptional personal impact and presence.
When these individuals enter a room, people greet them and easily include them to be a part of their conversations without any further prompting. When these influencers talk they are listened too, when they ask questions, they are answered and when they lead, they are followed.
See: Closed-Door Conversations at Work: What Do They Really Say About Business Leaders?
Those with a great personal presence often act with confidence and intention. Fundamentally, they carry themselves well and ultimately communicate precisely. To generate and influence personal presence you need to maximise your most valuable asset – yourself.
This of course, is easier said than done and proof of this can be seen in our first survey of attitudes towards public speaking in business. 71% of respondents cited public speaking as the most worrisome element of business life.
However, with preparation, understanding and practice, this fear can be eliminated and confidence and charisma can be incited. With work, you can influence your personal presence to achieve your goals.
Personal impact is very similar to personal presence, but it is the conducive positive aftermath of the latter that differentiates them. As the dictionary defines it, to impact is to “have a strong effect on someone or something”. It is the feeling and response that you leave when departing a room.
Those who leave a strong impact behind are those who are missed. By influencing personal impact, you, in turn, increase your gravitas in situations and circles that matter and, subsequently, you matter.Those who craft and leave the most positive personal impact can maximise the second most valuable weapon in their arsenal – their staff and/or colleagues.
Every motivator and successful leader uplifts their workforce to encourage and help. To influence your personal impact, it is important to be fluid and flexible such that your personal brand appeals to everyone. Additionally, you should also learn to acknowledge the importance of understanding the whole process, asking the “Hows” not just the “Whys.”
Those who leave a strong influential personal impact are the personality types that embrace failures as vital to improvement and understand the influence they hold. It is important to grow your versatility such as to gain support from others for your goals, without resorting to positional power alone.
Taking time to understand and build on your confidence, you can influence your personal impact to achieve your ambitions.
Image credit: entrepreneur.com
