Why are Chipmunks Cute and Mice Repulsive?

Chipmunks live in wooded areas, scurrying around outside and feeding on nature. Mice burrow into walls and attics, looking for nesting material and food. They’re considered pests because they leave their nasty droppings where we live. So for many of us, chipmunks are cute but mice are repulsive. On the other hand, there’s probably an equal number of people who keep mice (and chipmunks) as pets. It’s all a matter of perception and personal choice.

In the business world, however, perception is 90 percent of reality—not a matter of personal choice.

You get only one chance to make a first impression. I certainly have my own proclivities that cause me to categorize people based on a first impression, whether it’s based on looks, their voices, or the words they use. These filters come from a lifetime of meeting individuals and evaluating whether my first impressions were validated over time. I’m sensitive to my own prejudices and try to avoid using first impressions as a filter for whether to continue an exchange with someone.

We are very much in control of how we’re perceived, especially on first encounters. If you show up wearing cargo pants to pitch a product to a traditional, conservative-dress company, your chances of success are low. The same is true with hair styles, tatoos, and body adornments. This doesn’t mean your personal lifestyle must be controlled by conventions. But you do have to think about and dress accordingly for your particular business audience. This has been true for generations.

A well-groomed man or woman, appropriately dressed, has an immediate advantage meeting new businesspeople. I have a friend who is the consummate networker in our business community. He’s always dressed well, even in his golf ensemble. Men and women stand in line to talk with him, and speaking is the second tenet of great perceptions.

When you speak, your dialect and words identify you to the listener. I lived in Texas most of my adult life, and there were appropriate drawls and phrases that were commonly accepted, like, “How are y’all?” and, “Brought yourself in.” In Silicon Valley, these terms on first impression would likely identify you as a Southern hick and lay a foundation that you’d have to overcome with the quality of your dialogue.

If you have a pronounced non-North American accent that is difficult to understand in the American business community, you must be aware of how you’ll be perceived based on your speech vs. that of your audience. 

Finally, your diction and choice of words will definitely make a lasting first impression. I was teaching a seminar some years ago when one of the participants addressed me as “Yo! Trainer dude.” My first reaction became reality because I really didn’t want to hear his question or reply to it.

One of my colleagues teaches genuine dialogue. The first tenet is being present. You must, for the time of your conversation with someone, be fully engaged in eye contact and let them know they are the most important person at that moment. The second is active listening. When an idea is expressed, you should repeat your perception back with a phrase like, “So what I heard you say was . . .” Third is confirmation—letting them know you understood their points, regardless of whether you agree with them.

If you can master genuine dialogue, your first-impression quotient will go up dramatically.

Why are chipmunks cute and mice repulsive? It’s strictly a matter of perception.

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