You may know the life-shows, where candidates walk from the backstage to the front stage in a few seconds….and we have “that impression”…, very often a lasting impression. Why are some candidates or some groups particularly like-able? Like-ability, like many concepts, is quite difficult to define but we, sort of, all know what it means.
Have a look at the X –Factor UK 2015, the girl group called the “Fourth Power”. It is magic, like one soul that would have chosen four different bodies to be on this planet. The first audition is worth noticing but even more so the six seat challenge. One of the judges, Rita Ora, called it “perfection”. As a professional trainer, I love that word! What could be better than perfection? Simon Cowell, the ultimate referee called the performance, “amazing” and the future mentor of the group throughout the competition, Cheryl Cole, now Cheryl Fernandez-Versini called the group’s performance: “phenomenal” whilst adding: “You and I together can create magic”. Another one of my preferred words.
What makes these singers so likeable? I have not all the answers yet and promise to revert but, for sure, I have the conviction that they worked hard, very hard on it. They form like one personality. They are hug-able. There is something about them. There is a personal good factor there, emotions, cool, natural, joyous. They provoke a smile on the faces of the judges and the shouting of the crowd when they appear. They are powerful, dancing, charming and singing of course. I almost forgot that they are singing!
I took them as an example for a like-ability factor. In case you might wish to check what I just wrote, have a look on YouTube, the X Factor UK 2015. But this is not just about them. Quite a few participants have this, like my other favourite, the seventeen year old Louisa Johnson. Simon Cowell told her: “You are seventeen and singing like that; that is not possible!” In an interview he qualified her as the likely winner of the 2015 competition. The odds are certainly in her favour unless the like-ability factor plays in favour of Cheryl with her strong brand and her singers, the Fourth Power. As a matter of fact, Louisa has also this amazing like-ability. She is a teenager looking like the flower people of the sixties. Long hair, smile, determined, emotions and cool.
One of my preferred colleagues specialised in appearance, the way to be dressed, presentation and all the factors which improve the perception of who you are and ultimately shape you and allow you to be different. In my courses on branding I always announce the aim of branding to be seen as different and, if possible, better than the others. However, like-ability is more, it is more emotion loaded. It goes deeper than branding which is often visual and verbal. Here we talk about what happens with substance, hard work, deep believes and just being the way you are at your best, no, at your very best. Getting close to perfection is certainly part of this like-ability linked with this amazing charm which makes you want to see these people over and over again. You know: this repeat button!
To quote the author, “We really only trust conscious decision making. But there are moments, particularly in times of stress, when haste does not make waste, when our snap judgments and first impressions can offer a much better means of making sense of the world. My aim is to demonstrate that decisions made very quickly can be every bit as good as decisions made cautiously and deliberately.” Consequently, the issue is summarised in the following question: “When should we trust our instincts, and when should we be warry of them?” And I would add, particularly when stressed! The author underlines that there can be as much value in the blink of an eye as in months of rational analysis.