They say our minds form an impression of a person within the first seven seconds of meeting them. That means our brains, within a mere seven seconds, is assessing whether the person we meet is likable, trustworthy, and competent. Does that mean that only first impressions matter? That you never get a second chance to make a first impression?
Not true at all. While our minds certainly form a first impression of a person within seconds of meeting them, it is their further communication and behaviour that decide how we remember them forever. So, if you’ve made a great first impression, your communication and behaviour will help you strengthen and reinforce that positive impression.
But if you haven’t made a great first impression, don’t worry, all is not lost. The very same communication and behaviour will help you gain lost ground and turn around the whole impression in your favour. How many times we ourselves have felt that we judged someone wrongly and they turned out to be wonderful people after all!
What are effective communication and good behaviour all about? And how to use them to our advantage in making ourselves memorable in the minds of others?
Effective Communication
Effective communication is the process of exchanging ideas, thoughts, opinions, knowledge and data, so that the message is received and understood with clarity and purpose. When we communicate effectively, both the sender and receiver feel satisfied.
Not fancy words, not jargon, not stylish accents, but simple, straightforward, and empathetic speech, is what makes it easy for people to understand you and makes you an effective communicator. And this is what matters to build an authentic, lasting relationship.The ‘7Cs of Effective Communication’ is one of the easiest ways to uplevel your communication skills.
1. Completeness
It is very important to be complete in what you say. Incompleteness creates ambiguity and uncertainty, making your communication ineffective. Whatever you wish to communicate, ensure you communicate it with completeness.
2. Conciseness
Not just what we wish to convey, but consideration of who we are conveying to, and tweaking our communication, accordingly, is an invaluable technique of effective communication. Consideration shows that we are empathetic to the feelings and emotions of our listeners.
3. Consideration
Not just what we wish to convey, but consideration of who we are conveying to, and tweaking our communication, accordingly, is an invaluable technique of effective communication. Consideration shows that we are empathetic to the feelings and emotions of our listeners.
4. Clarity
Clarity is one of the foundations of effective communication. Only if the sender is clear about what they intend to convey, can they communicate effectively to the receiver.
5. Concreteness
Concreteness implies that one must be very specific and definitive while communicating, rather than being general. Use apt and precise words to convey your message, which saves time and increases the effectiveness of your communication.
6. Courtesy
Courtesy is polite behaviour. But how does one display courtesy in communication and why? Politeness and courtesy towards others always generate goodwill, which strengthens relationships. Politeness facilitates communication and is displayed by the careful choice of appropriate words and through a polite and respectful tone of voice.
7. Correctness
Correctness implies the accuracy of our communication. If our communication is incorrect, we will lose our reliability. Correctness also refers to the right usage of grammar, words and message composition. Communication is effective when language and information are correct.
Good Behaviour
Before we get to what constitutes good behaviour, let’s understand behaviour itself. Behaviour is how you conduct yourself towards others. It can be the words you say as well as the actions you make. It’s both nonverbal and verbal. It’s how we conduct our interpersonal interactions on a regular basis. And in life, the key to success is how ‘good’ you are with people. It doesn’t matter what level of the hierarchy you are at, the way you deal with people will decide whether you succeed or not. And hence, to leave a good impression and have good relationships, it’s of utmost importance to be well behaved in all our interactions.
Good behaviour can be very simply defined as ‘satisfactory, polite or proper conduct’. The outcome of good behaviour is the positive impact we have on people. We often notice that some people leave us feeling good, whereas after interactions with some other people, we don’t feel so good. The difference is in the way the people have behaved with us. And obviously, we prefer to keep relations with people who are well behaved towards us.
What Constitutes Good Behaviour?
Politeness, courtesy, respect, etc. are terms that come to mind when we think of good behaviour. Let us add some more adjectives that describe good and acceptable behaviours:
- Kindness
- Politeness
- Respect
- Courtesy
- Empathy
- Compassion
- Even Tempered
- Soft Spoken
- Patience
- Understanding
The list can go on. But if we imbibe even a few of these qualities consistently, we are sure to win hearts, form great relationships and remain memorable to those we meet. We will certainly leave lasting positive impressions on all whom we meet.
In Conclusion
“Do to others, what you would have them do to you”. If we make this our credo, it goes without saying that we will always communicate and behave in a manner that is both pleasing and effective. And ensure that we are always loved and remembered.
So, while the first seven seconds form the first impression, it is our effective communication and good behaviour that leaves the lasting impression.
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