Page 59 - ConvinceThemFlip

neutralize the fight-or-flight response
percent! Then she persuaded a passerby, a robust-looking
fellow in his late thirties, dressed in a T-shirt and jeans, to
give it a try. After five minutes’ training with the book, he
had the same results. And so will you.
Living Up to Expectations
In business, first impressions are frequently colored by
expectations. We expect people to live up to the image
we have created in our minds from what they have said,
or from how they’ve said it, in nonvisual media—say by
phone, letter, or e-mail. Once we do see them, we expect
them to look the part. When they don’t live up to these
expectations, we tend to be somewhat disappointed, and
this disappointment can make us see less than the best in
the person. On the other hand, when they meet or exceed
our expectations, we are prepared to give more, listen
harder, and invest added optimism.
We can’t stop ourselves or others from making snap
judgments—they are part of humans’ inborn, instinctive
fight-or-flight response. But we can learn to see beyond
what meets the eye and avoid making the mistakes that
go along with that sort of arbitrary decision making. Any
time you are diverted by someone or something not meet-
ing your expectations, stop and refocus. Ask yourself,
What do I want?
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