One-tenth of a second: the science of why first impressions matter
How long is one-tenth of a second?
If you’re a motorsport fan, you’re probably used to seeing this interval on timing screens and on the track.
For those of you that aren’t into motorsport, the photo below represents one-tenth of a second. This entire pack of cars is covered by one-tenth of a second. First corner, first lap, everyone is bunched up and the timings are incredibly close.
You’re probably wondering what a gaggle of Volkswagens has to do with professional presence.
One-tenth of a second is how long it takes the human brain to form a first impression of someone. This is based entirely on what we see, from what someone’s wearing to how they stand, even the energy they’re giving off. This is an evolutionary trait of humans, one that goes back to when we were prey for some of the big predators that used to roam the earth. These days we use it to make a snap judgement about a stranger.
The blink of an eye lasts one-tenth of a second. Blink, and you'll realise just how short a time span that is. When you step into a professional space, in literally the blink of an eye, you’ve been assessed and assigned a rank (higher than, lower than or equal to the observer) based entirely on their first sight of you. Whoever is looking at you has already decided if you’re ‘worthy’ or not.
No, it's not fair, but it is human nature.
You might be thinking, but I’m an expert in my field and I’m the most competent person in the room. That may be true, but the fact is that you must make an impact from the moment people catch sight of you. Their opinion about you may change, but that snap judgement upon first sight is crucial and it needs to be a good one.
If you’ve ever noticed how some people shift the energy of a space as soon as they enter it, that’s the kind of effect you’re looking to have. You want people to notice you and for that first impression to be memorable in the good way. You probably never realised just how little time you had to make that first impression.
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