First impressions

conversational skills that make others want to talk to you, and allow you to be confident.

We often pardon those who bore us, but never those whom we bore. - Duc De La Rochefoucauld

First impressions last. We make up our minds about other people very quickly. We form 90% of our opinions about others in the first four minutes, so it's vital you think about how you present yourself to others.

The next few sections are about communicating with others. Talking to other people can be a nightmare when you lack confidence, especially if you're meeting them for the first time. But even though we don't tend to think of it that way, conversation is a skill we can all learn, starting with a few basic techniques, then gradually developing our own style.

A sustained effort to improve your listening, conversational skills and assertiveness will enable you to reach new heights of confidence. Nothing brings confidence more surely than knowing that you can talk to people easily; that you always have something to say and know how to say it.