Last impressions count

Published: Saturday, 28 February 2009

When you leave someone after an interaction, do you leave them present to their own greatness? Do you leave them feeling completely validated, appreciated and respected? Even if they’ve just made (what you deem to be) an unwise decision for your project? Asked (what you think is) a really silly question? Said something really inappropriate?

What sticks with someone isn’t, “how great were they at the start when they wanted something from me/ were judging me to see if I was an appropriate contact to hold on to”, it’s “how great were they after they got it/ didn’t get it/ found out more about me”.

It’s not how you play the game of ‘first impressions’ anymore. In the world of the Internet, Big Brother and the constant bombardment of twitter updates, Facebook wall posts, SMSs and Skype, you’re always giving an impression.

Be on your best behaviour. Whatever you do there is always someone watching, you are always teaching, and someone is always learning.

About Me

Marita ChengForbes named me a world's top 50 woman in tech & 30 Under 30. I founded Robogals and Aipoly and was Young Australian of the Year 2012. Currently working on robotics company Aubot. I'm the youngest Member of the Order of Australia (AM) and I give speeches around the world.

I tweet @maritacheng and I'm on Facebook.

Subscribe

Enter your email address to receive my latest blog posts: 

 

Random Articles

  • Hardy Group interview

    The Hardy Group invited me to speak with them about healthcare, robotics and leadership.  Here I am riffing about those topics!

  • Australian Office in Taipei

    In March this year, I was invited to the Australian Office in Taipei, Taiwan, to give a speech for International Women’s Day.   During my 10-hour...

  • I've done what I've done

    When I became Young Australian of the Year a year ago, I wanted to give as many speeches as I physically could, I wanted to contribute to the...

  • No amount of hoping and praying can substitute hard work

    Want to do something but you don't feel like it? Want to start a company but you feel the first step is too high and too hard?  Want to get fit but...

  • Australian of the Year Awards 60th anniversary

    My last, large, in-person networking event I went to in Australia since before the pandemic was the 60th anniversary celebrations for the Australian of the...

  • Success is in the doing

    Even if I know my chances of success are slim because I've been disorganised, have missed deadlines, have generally not followed my own rules for...

  • I don’t have time for that

    Do you ever think to yourself that you can’t do this? That you’re not smart enough? That you haven’t practised enough? That you’re not ready? That...

  • How the community keeps you going

    When I first started Robogals, the first thing I did was tell people about my vision and ask that they sign on to join. From that, I got a team of 3...

  • NBN STEMpreneur

    The NBN Stempreneur Initiative is a virtual learning program for kids in eight regional schools. It shows young people the breadth of opportunities...

  • Officeworks

    Officeworks got in touch to film this short content editorial piece. They filmed a Robogals workshop in Melbourne, our Jevaroo robot in action and an...