50 women are running for office. They all want to be your representative in the state capital. Who would you vote for? How do you decide who gets your vote?
I got a dose of 50 first impressions yesterday by volunteering at the Ready to Run training for women who are considering running for office in Hawaii. One by one they approached our check-in table.
- 23 were nicely dressed; 9 looked the legislator part already
- 5 stated her name clearly without being prompted
- 6 spelled her name without being asked
- 11 smiled
- 8 were enthusiastic and energetic
- 5 seemed to "own the space"; they seemed powerful
- 5 made excellent eye contact
- 7 walked purposefully to our table
- 1 asked our names
- 1 couldn’t get elected dog catcher
These women didn’t have to say a word. Just by showing up, they communicated a lot about themselves. Politics aside, they made an impression that got — or didn’t get — my vote on a personal level.
And then I got to thinking….Aren’t we all running for some kind of office all the time? Maybe it’s not an elected office; it could be an appointed or chosen office such as trusted advisor or cherished colleague. Maybe it’s Ms./Mr. Right or Ms./Mr. Right Now.
What kind of impression did you make today?