Both Likeability and Credibility begin with the other person’s first impression of you. The first impression is a mental activity that goes on behind the scenes in your old brain. This mental activity takes place in a split second and because the old brain doesn’t have a lot to go on, it uses your face, your demeanor, your clothes and other immediate impressions to decide whether or not you can be trusted.
We know from the research that trustworthiness is the first decision the old brain seeks out and that makes sense because remember the old brain is, well…. old. It’s still operating in a world where giant predators with enormous appetites were looking to snack on your body parts. Survival meant quickly being able to size up a situation and choose the appropriate response. Even though you’re not really operating in that world anymore, your old brain still thinks it is.
So in order to increase your credibility and likeability, you have to pay attention to the old brain and get through the trust gate. It’s a process – First I decide if I trust you, then I decide if I like you. If I like you, I’ll pay attention long enough to see if I find you credible. The more you can do in those first few seconds to enable the other person to trust you, the better the odds you’ll make it through the likeability and credibility gates.