Disclaimer: This is not actually an article on guitars. Read on.
When you walk into a guitar store, unless you are Slash your guitar skills are unknown. Once you pick up a guitar, plug it into an amp for all to hear, and hit the strings for the first time, the first thing you play defines you as a player. If you start out with Smoke on the Water or Stairway to heaven, you will be banished and forever defined as one of those guys. But if you have a defining guitar lick that makes people stop and listen you can set the bar high from the beginning.
Same is true in business and social encounters. The first thing out of your mouth will set the bar for how other people view you. If your opening comment is obvious or immature, then it will take a lot of work to regain the respect and reputation that you want to have. But if the first thing you have to say makes people stop and listen and think, then you got something.
I recently joined a paper committee for a large technical conference. This conference is THE conference for my industry and being on the committee is a big deal. The committee meets 2 times a year before the actual conference to do paper abstract and paper reviews. Our committee has about 30 people and at the first meeting, almost nobody knew me. This was my defining moment. When we started the abstract review, I was prepared, had written notes, and was the first one to voice my opinion. Every abstract I had constructive information to present in spite of being a “freshman” member of the committee. Being outgoing is not my nature, but I had to establish my position as a valuable contributor.
At the dinner in the evening, I received several positive comments from people who didn’t know me. Some were also first time members who assumed I must have been a seasoned veteran.
When you are in a situation where you will define yourself, make sure what you have to say is what you want people to hear from you. Sometimes that means to be prepared, but often it may mean to stay quiet until you have the right thing to say.
What is your defining guitar lick?