Customer Reviews

Put Your Best Foot Forward: Make a Great Impression by Taking Control of How Others See You

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book is far better than the author's prior work, Reading People, which seemed to suffer from a persistent lack of definitive statements. This book offers real insights on how other people will be likely to view you and has considerable real work and experience behind it. It compares favorably with two other interesting books on my bookshelf: Influence, by Cialdini and How to Succeed with Women, by Louis and Copeland. Though the Louis and Copeland book is the best of its genre, it would benefit greatly from Ms. Dimitrius' sections on how to be perceived as trustworthy and caring in Chap 12.

My experience has repeatedly confirmed several of Ms. Dimitrius' points. Most notable is her observation that "Most people's favorite topic of conversation is themselves, their interests, or their opinions. Great impressions are assured when you tap into, and satisfy, others' love of themselves" (p. 236). I work with a number of very successful people who have very crowded schedules; they always make time when you are genuinely interested in learning the details of their favorite topics and greatest successes. They're so happy to see your interest that it's very hard to keep them from picking up the tab for lunch or dinner.

Reading this book is like taking your personality in to the doctor for a physical. You may feel uncomfortably poked, prodded and palpated, but you will perhaps be the better for it. More precisely, you will be able to get along better with others after reading this book. Some of the pointers for making a good impression are very specific to high-powered business encounters. It's also important to keep in mind that the authors are basing the advice in the book on their experience prepping people to make a good impression on trial juries -- a scenario that may or may not apply to your particular set of relationships. Regardless, the level of detail given on personal interactions such as handshakes is fascinating.

Some of the tips provide great insights into human psychology, especially regarding the emotional impact of things like body language, speech pacing, and voice quality. But some of the tips seem manipulative, like car-salesman talk, and others are just plain common sense -- like good grooming and making eye contact. The emphasis on all aspects of personal appearance is depressingly shallow. I felt as if I were receiving a lecture on the importance of wearing makeup, uncomfortable clothes and painful shoes. One annoying contradiction is this: despite the advice to be yourself, lest you come across as artificial, the book still advises you to change any so-called "toxic traits," or else. The strategies given to minimize or mitigate your less savory attributes (rather than a hopeless attempt to _eliminate_ them) is far more encouraging. All in all, a rather effective reminder that people will forget what you say, they'll even forget what you do, but they'll never forget how you made them feel.

This is a wonderful book. I didn't realize how many things people look at, or pay attention to but now that I have read the book I am more aware of how I put myself into a surrounding. It made me see a few things I was guilty of doing and I am now trying to keep that in mind. Often I will start to do something and I remember what I read in this book. Thank you for bringing to mind the different areas people look at upon a first impression. Jo-Ellan Dimitrius and Mark Mazzarella are great authors. I would recommend this book highly to anyone..

Put Your Best Foot Forward is well researched and well written. It provides extremely practical and useful tips for becoming aware of, and improving, the impression you make on others. I would recommend it to everyone from high school students interviewing for their first job to business executives trying to close a deal.

In dealing with business professionals, the first impression is often the only impression that's left with them. Thank you for USEFUL information to help me improve my business and personal life!

While I can not think of another book of this type to recommend over this one, there is not really any information in this book that is not simple common sense. Among the 'gems' revealed are the importance of good posture, good grooming and how important it is to refrain from using profanities in public. This book is highly recommended, then, for those who think slouching, bad odour and cursing all make for a good impression on others.

Despite the negative connotations of my title, the great insight I found in this book is that people will try to conform you into stereotypes they have. They usually rely on pretty shallow criteria to judge you. If you happen to fit into a negative stereotype, then you will be waging an uphill fight to change other's opinions of you. People look for confirmation not disconfirmation. So if you say, do or wear something that isn't exactly the right thing, then it will probably confirm the negative stereotype others have of you. Conversly, if you have a positive stereotype, then those deviations from the stereotype are often dismissed or excused. I've learned this through hard trial and error. I once held that the best thing is to be yourself and, if others don't except you for who you are then the hell with them. This is fine for one's personal life but disasterous for a competitive work environment. Even though you may be hard-working and conscientious about work product, in a competitive environment people will use perceived negative differences against you. It sucks but people in competitve work environments are often jerks. If you want to succeed in a competitive environment, then you will just have to accept that people are often shallow and jerks. Consequently, cultivating the proper image will definitely be an advantage to you and this book is a good start.

The book's name should have been, "How to Fit-in in the United States Corporate World" or "How to Use Stereotypes To Help You Fit-in with Business Colleagues", because many of the stereotypes it cites are only appplicable in the US' Corporate World and to a low degree. The current name of the book implies that it will show you how to determine your weaknesses and strenghths and help you use your strenghts better and improve on your weaknesses, when it comes to making better impressions.

I was very disapponted that there were no self-assessment excercises, so that the book could be applicable (for improvement opportunities) depending on individual circumstances and on each person's interpersonal and presentation skills improvement needs.

Perhaps if the book had been written by a more reliable author with true psychology background, training, and experience, it would have met some of my expectations.

How does someone with legal "profiling" experience decide that he or she can write a book about truly making good impresions on others?

I have to sadly say that I did not learn anything from this book.

I bought this because I've seen the author on Larry King and elsewhere talking about how she reads potential jurors by their body language. She's made a lot of money doing this, and recommending jurors to lawyers. It was all very interesting until I bought this slapped together book. Really all it says is that sloppy posture and messy clothing will not make a good impression in the business world or the dating world. Really, that's all it says!!

How often have you thought, "I wish I hadn't said or done that?" as the person you are talking to closes up and makes a hasty retreat. This book heightens ones awareness of "toxic traits"- how we turn people off and conversely "magic pills" - ways or styles or qualities that will win points with everyone. Sure it is common sense, and there is really no new turf or ground explored, yet it never hurts to take a closer look at ones self. Highly recommended reading for recent graduates, young professionals eager to make a good impression on the job, or for anyone. The authors call it "Impression Management". I like it. Here's a few of Ms Dimitrius' and Mr Mazzarella's "magic pills"; eye contact, a smile, a good handshake and greeting, posture and ehthusiam. Their "Toxic traits" turning people off are : gossip, pettiness, sarcasm, cursing and bad hygiene.