The Initial Thrill: Do You Make A Good Impression?

How do you demonstrate that you are at ease, especially in the heavily pressurized corporate world? 

Here’s a tip: “As you enter a room, move your eyes comfortably and in a random pattern, then look directly at those in the room and smile.”

That gem comes from Roger Ailes, one of America’s leading PR men. This new original feature, “The Initial Thrill: Do You Make A Good Impression?” is a collection of blockbuster stories that exemplifies the steps any professional has to make to project the image that commands trust and respect. This feature, short but sweet, is all about Perception management.

It originally appeared in yesterday’s issue of Philippine Panorama

The Initial Thrill: Do You Make a Good Impression?

By Jonathan Aquino

When Bella Swan first met Edward Cullen in the small town of Forks in Washington, she was captivated by his aura of mystery. She later learned that Edward, her dream boy, possesses a nightmarish secret: he is, O-M-G, a vampire who lusts for her blood, and that she loves him more than her life.

                     First impressions last, even without Axe or Charmee. Here are some tips from Roger Ailes, media consultant of 3 U.S. Presidents, in his book You Are The Message (Doubleday) on how to put the “Wow!” on that close encounter for the first time.

                     You are the message. 2-time Academy Award winner and Amelia star Hillary Swank, in her early, struggling days, went to auditions after auditions with a simple message: I am a serious actress. There was one producer who told her she’s “Too sit-com,” and a week later, she landed the role of Teena in the indie film Boys Don’t Cry – and she won her fist Oscar.

                     Develop your strengths. “If you use your good qualities, other people will want to be with you and cooperate with you,” says Ailes.

                     Be yourself. Johnny Depp is the most original and unconventional A-list actor today, with the most eclectic filmography in Hollywood, including the top-grossing Pirates of the Caribbean series and the Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. He is People’s “Sexiest Man Alive,” the latest cover boy of GQ and “A unicorn, really glamorous, one of a kind eccentric,” says Simon Doonan, creative director of Barney’s New York.

                     It’s better to be yourself than a second-rate, trying-heard copycat of somebody else. “The trick is to be consistently you, at your best,” says Ailes. “The most effective people never change character from one situation to another.”

                     Focus your energy. Chris Pine’s James Tiberius Kirk is Star Trek is a maverick, rebuffed by Capt. Uhura and out-ranked by Mr. Spock. But he’s also the son of a hero, and he focused his energy to summon his extraordinary leadership powers from within (with a little wile and inter-dimensional advise) to become the greatest captain of the Star Fleet – leading the best-looking crew ever assembled in space.

                     Concentrate. “Properly marshaled energy comes across as a magnetic intensity that we all display when we sincerely believe something,” says Ailes.

                     Lighten up. You are not the center of the universe. “Take a good hard look at your ego. Do you say I took often?” asks Ailes. “Are you usually focused on your own problems? Do you complain frequently? When people float a new idea, do you try to puncture it? If you answered Yes to even one of these questions, you need to lighten up.”

                     Meryl Streep’s Donna in Mama Mia! Runs a run-down hotel and she needs money, money money! But she can dance, she can jive, and she’s having the time of her life.

Photo courtesy of SkyNewWire

See special Mama Mia video in “My Favorite Hollywood Actress” only here on 2Rivers