The First Five Seconds

The first five seconds refer to the length of time necessary for people to form an impression.  That timeline applies to almost anything, but in the context of public speaking, it refers to the length of time a speaker has to make an impression on the audience.  The reason it takes so little time is because of our reptilian brain.  We -- as well as all other living creatures -- are hardwired to assess our environment almost instantly in order to safeguard our survival.  We make adjustments here and there as we become better adapted to our environment, but the initial impression is an extremely tenacious one in the fabric of our memory.  Because it is so brief, the initial impression is of vital importance to almost anything else we will do henceforth, and the reaction our audience will have to us, whether that audience is the listening public, or indeed, a potential friend or mate. 

Volumes have been written about that proverbial first impression.  In the case of public speaking, we read about the strong opening, grabbing the audience's attention with a compelling story, or walking briskly up onto the stage to demonstrate confidence, or making immediate eye contact with the audience.  All superb suggestions.  However, there is one aspect of that first impression that seems to be lacking in these admonitions: presenting well also has a great deal to do with personal appearance.

I remember attending a conference that included several breakout sessions, and culminating in a closing presentation and ceremony.  Because that conference was held on a Saturday morning, there was a general sense among the participants and presenters, that it was to be a casual encounter.  One such presenter was so disheveled, that I had a hard time focusing on anything she said.  Her physical appearance is what grabbed and held my attention.  Whatever she was talking about took second place to my internal judgmental voice about her lack of good sense in appearing before the group, and how her appearance was distracting from whatever message she was attempting to convey.

You don't need to sport the latest fashion.  But if your goal is to be a public presenter, it might behoove you to focus on how that public perceives you.  Your speech is only part of your presentation: your physical appearance is every bit as important, and in the case of first impressions, even more so, as this is the very first thing the audience perceives.