YOU HAVE 90 SECONDS: GO

James Gray, The Globe and Mail: Careers, 10/29/04

We make up our minds about someone new in a hurry. Within the first 90 seconds of a presentation, an audience will bond with a speaker or tune out. A job interviewer will be impressed by a candidate or dismiss him or her from contention. A prospect will respond to a sales rep or start issuing signals to get lost. You have a minute and a half, according to the research, to forge a connection. Those 90 seconds will set the tone for the remainder of your current interaction, and for the life of a relationship that results.

Curiously, we often fail to pay enough attention to those critical early moments, going forward as if everyone already knows, loves and respects us. "Hey, it's me. I'm great. Now, let me tell you more about me."

Hold up, there. Put yourself in the place of the listener. What would you think of you? That's a legitimate question as you prepare for all manner of communication.
Humans have been making lightning-quick judgments about each for thousands of years.

It's been a matter of instinct - and survival. If you hesitated too long before determining that the hirsute figure looming in front of you was a member of the enemy tribe, you'd be quickly dispatched. As a result, we as a species have tended to err on the side of caution and occasionally hostility when rendering first impressions. Even now, we're introduced to a visiting vice-president and we immediately ask ourselves: Do I like her? Do I trust him? And what's with those shoes?

But if you communicate adroitly, you'll have us hooked by the 90-second mark. Here are three ways how:

Start with a smile
A smile almost universally means: "I'm friendly, not a threat to your job, so relax already and let me sell you something." A smile on the face of a well-turned-out corporate professional conveys a sense of confidence and good will. While a smile doesn't necessarily convince anyone that you have the goods, it sets the table for you to demonstrate them. A scowl, on the other hand, denotes angst and unresolved issues. The glowering executive operates at a disadvantage.

Start early
Most of us overlook the fact that communication often starts before a formal interaction. Have you ever walked into a client's building, gotten on the elevator, shot a disdainful glance at the rumpled Poindexter next to you, only to have him exit at the same floor, follow you into the same premises and then turn up at the same meeting - as the decision-maker? It happens. Don't let it happen to you. Adopt a genial half-smile within a few blocks of your work-related destination.

At presentations, I'm often baffled by speakers who, before a big speech, will ignore the audience to study their notes, self-involved and frowning. Then they'll stride to the podium and expect the crowd to love them unconditionally. The first 90 seconds commence upon entering the room. That's when presenters need to begin engaging the audience, through a smile, eye contact and handshakes.

Start slowly
Take the pressure off yourself. If you speak quickly, you're more likely to flub a line or two. Keep your sentences short; it's easier to breathe and enunciate. Ask focused questions of your listeners to learn about their interests and their challenges.

Tell your story with simplicity and sincerity. Leave plenty of space, as pauses, throughout your narrative to ensure others stay with you every step of the way. The younger you are, the earlier you need to refer to your credentials and related experience to establish credibility. The younger you are, the better you need to dress.
Concentrate on building rapport. Unless you're an accomplished raconteur, avoid humour. Why? Because three things can happen when you tell a joke - and two of them are bad. Your humour can simply fall flat or be received so unfavourably as to approach the realm of career-limiting.Why risk it? If you must relate a joke, make it self-deprecating. Even then, before going public, test it on your most politically correct friend.

James Gray is a media strategist and communication skills coach in Toronto.