How Less Than a Second Can Change Your Life
“Two things remain irretrievable: time and a first impression.”
Whether you like it or not, people will judge you before you’ve even opened your mouth.
Such was the case for Marcel Marceau - a man who, before he became the iconic mime, worked for the French resistance in World War Two, rescuing Jewish children.
He regularly made trips up to the Swiss border to help children escape occupied France into Switzerland.
He impersonated scout leaders, local dignitaries and many other characters, but near the end of the war, after dropping off a group of children, he ran into a unit of German soldiers.
What was he to do?
Not only was he helping Jewish children escape, but he was also a Jew himself. A fact which, if found out, would mean he faced certain death.
He pretended to be a French soldier simply by altering his stance and changing his voice.
He told the Germans they could save their own lives by surrendering to him.
All 30 of them did, and he saved at least 70 children.
If Marcel Marceau shows anything, it is that within a fraction of a second, people are already judging to see whether you fall into 1 of 4 categories:
Friend
Enemy
Sexual Partner
Someone to be indifferent to
Everything from the clarity of your skin to where you place your hands will be used to make a decision about who you are and what your intentions could be.
People judge your leadership credibility instantly based on your behaviour, before you have even communicated your ideas verbally.
Sometimes understanding how people judge you within seconds can be a matter of life and death.
If you’d like to master Body Language, join our upcoming Body Language for Business course with Mark Bowden, a world-renowned body language expert, keynote speaker, and bestselling author.
