Tony AlessandraThe ONLY Official Site to Book Tony for a Speech

I thoroughly enjoyed your speech and found many new, useful ideas to use immediately in my business... That's a great presentation. Thanks!
--Rose Clayton

I wanted to pass along my personal thanks to you for speaking at our annual Program Manager's conference. All of the feedback that I received, both in person, as well as in writing, was overwhelmingly positive, and your talk was a big part of that! Thanks again, and I hope that we'll see you at a future Harris event.
--Amos Morse

Thank you for the kind words. Your presentation was the best of all outside presentations - everyone thought you were great! I look forward to the opportunity to put you in front of other clients of ours in the future.
--Jay

Tony's presentation had real impact. The points he made were not only relevant to our audience, they were delivered in a way to make them memorable and fun. It was great to have such an important topic delivered with punch as well as humor. His anecdotes were fabulous. Ask him about the pots and pans.
--Corrine Smith

Thanks so much for your presentation at NSA San Diego last week. It was the best combination of practical tips and inspiration that I have seen at an NSA meeting ever! Thanks again for your powerful message and willingness to spend so much time with those of us starting out.
--Jim Cartmill

Silent messages can make or break your first impression

"First impressions are lasting impressions."

"The first impression is the only impression that counts and the only one that lasts."

"You only have one chance to make a first impression."

Such sayings hint at the importance of your image, or your "silent message." In short, how you carry yourself -- physically, emotionally, and intellectually -- is a key to charisma because it profoundly affects how people react to you.

Image, of course, isn't everything -- but it is important, especially if backed up by strong performance. And a negative first impression -- saying the wrong thing, wearing the wrong clothes, coming across as uncaring or inept -- can cut off relationships before they get started.

The big components of your emotional image are a positive attitude, enthusiasm, and self-control. Outlook, of course, governs outcomes, and optimists are more likely to be successful as well as inspiring.

This positiveness is generally "inside" you, while enthusiasm, on the other hand, is how you show it to others. The response you receive from the world mirrors, in large measure, your attitude.

For example, a friend of mine toured a client's office and noticed negative, "cute" signs plastered everywhere: "It's hard to soar like an eagle when you're surrounded by turkeys," "Even a bad day on vacation is better than a good day at work," and the like. Every message that every employee saw every day was negative. No wonder, my friend later concluded, morale there was so low.

While I'm not suggesting you put on a phony happy face, I am saying that every word, gesture, expression, and impression is being watched -- especially in initial encounters -- and will either help or hinder you.

Fostering "Pausitiveness"

For a sustained good image, you also must master what I call "pausitiveness." That means having the discipline to pause and put your personal feelings on hold even when tempted to blow your stack. Because even if you otherwise make a great first impression, if you allow yourself to be pushed over the edge, saying and doing things that you later regret, that's the "you" that will be remembered.