How to bounce back from bad impressions

We’ve all had those days; missed the punch line, got a little too drunk at a work function or just stumbled over our words and knowingly or not said something offensive. Miley Cyrus once said 'nobody is perfect' and she’s not wrong! We are all human and not everyone we speak to knows us well enough to shrug off our weird comments.

Thanks to Harvard’s Business Review here are 4 top tips to overcome a bad impression:

1. Be the unexpected

If there isn’t a reason to reassess someone – then we won’t. So you need to give them a reason by surprising them. Say you’re known as the quiet one who never speaks up, at your next business meeting or social gathering make a point of being the first one to speak and if your colleagues or friends have confused looks on their faces, you’re probably on the right track.

2. Consistency is key

A sudden change in behaviour may be shrugged off so make sure you keep it consistent so people won’t think you’ve just had too much coffee that morning. The key is to bombard them with your new behaviour so that they rethink your first impression.

3. Keep ‘em close

It’s likely to want to avoid the people who probably now think you’re a bit strange. However, keeping your distance may exacerbate the problem. Instead, make the extra effort to remove yourself from your comfort zone and prove them wrong. Force yourself to get to know them better and resultantly, they will get to know you better.

4. Time will tell

Be patient and let time mend your bad first impression. Do all that you can and if nothing is working then chances are their opinion doesn’t matter anyway.