Cool Down: Getting Further by Going Slower

Chapter 7. BECOMING A COOLER PERSON

THE POWER OF KNOWING

Are you noticeably great or are you one of the crowd? How would other people answer that question about you? What does your image say to those around you? Is it helping you get ahead? Is speed revealing ragged edges and imperfections? Most importantly, how do you know?

Human beings, including all of your colleagues and clients, take in 70 percent of what they know and understand about the world around them by way of visual cues and non-verbal communication. In Chapter 2, case studies of Bruno and Karen, and later, of the locomotive engineers highlighted the effects of a diminished ability and opportunity to read body language in negotiation situations. They quickly caused intellectual isolation. People really do judge situations and other people by what they see and take in. Consequently, it is of great strategic value for those who wish to impress, influence, further ahead, that they slow down and learn more about how they come across in all manner of situations. This is what this chapter is about. It looks at some of the key areas in which progress can be gained through a combination of conscious awareness and preparation.

Knowing What You Look Like

This section is not a chapter on choosing wardrobes and hairstyles. There are many other books that do that. For our purposes, it's not just what you look like that counts; it's that you know what you look like that is truly important. Your chosen style of dress and presentation ...