What is a First Impression Bias, and why does it matter?

The first impression is the last impression!

This is an adage we heard growing up. Our parents and teachers told us to always be at the top of our game: Impress the new teacher, impress your friend, impress a neighbor.

We are painfully aware of how we look, and it starts early. Parents want to dress up their children even if that means going beyond their means. We buy a new dress to impress at a party. We are ready to spend more money on new cars and queue up for new phone models even when the old one works just as well.

We want to project the best of ourselves, and why not?

Numerous studies have demonstrated that individuals who dress well or show more confidence and have better-than-average looks have a higher chance of getting promoted or a raise or are likely to get away with mistakes at the workplace.

Its origins

As humans, we are pre-disposed to record the first piece of information in our brain and have the unique ability to recall the experience in the future. We remember the event, and our brains dig into the subconscious and take us back. We remember the feeling!

You are walking under a tree, and the smell of the flowers takes you back to the past—days when you were a child and played under that tree, hence happy memories. Equally, when you read about an accident, you immediately remember the event you had years back.

An excellent survival mechanism that took humans to the top of the food chain.

Today, we live in largely peaceful times without danger of mortal harm. Hence, we need to be aware of our evolutionary tendencies while interacting.

Why does it matter to you?

First impression bias plays a big part in any company's success. At its core, every decision is driven by individuals or teams.

Operational decision making

Data and instinct drive great companies. Data may have been collected with first-impression bias, as human instinct is biased to begin with.

When a top performer leaves the company, our first instinct is to attribute the change to higher compensation from a competitor. Exit interviews may capture the same reason, biasing the data.

Companies face similar risks while processing C-SAT, operational turnaround times (TAT), annual performance ratings, and other KPIs.

Good managers will be aware of first-impression bias and design processes to avoid such pitfalls. The decision is based on data and qualitative insights, supported by a robust dialogue to minimize bias. As AI gets embedded in the organization processes, avoiding first impression bias in the models will become paramount.

Strategic decision making

A CEO wants diversification and wants to enter into a new market. How does it arrive at a decision?

Is this the voice of the new CEO? Does he/she feel strongly about it as it had witnessed success in his/her past company? This is a new company with distinctly different capabilities and cultures.

Good leaders are aware of that bias and are circumspect. They observe, assess the context, assimilate new data points, and arrive at a decision.

Individual behavior

We constantly judge each other in the workplace, and mastering this skill is one of the most challenging. It is hard to remain unbiased. Our evolutionary instincts take over when something does not go our way.

Please find a mentor or a friend. Share your thoughts in confidence, and reflect.

Write a journal and be truthful. Revisit the journal from time to time. Be patient with yourself. It takes time to discover yourself and avoid excessive self-criticism.

Discovering yourself is a journey. Be at it.

Image credits: Unsplash available through Wix

Fractls with Ashish Chand