You’ve Seven Seconds, Make Them Count

Joanne Lockwood is joined by personal branding and first-impression expert Sylvie di Giusto to unpack what really happens in the first few seconds of meeting someone, and why it matters for credibility, opportunity and inclusion.

Sylvie shares her ABCDE framework for first impressions: appearance, behaviour, communication, digital footprint and environment. Together they explore how these cues influence the assumptions people make at work, and how professionals can be more intentional about the signals they send in rooms, meetings and online. They also discuss authenticity in the context of professional life, including the trade-offs of sharing personal views on social media and how to communicate with respect for different audiences.

The conversation broadens into leadership and development: why organisations often hire for hard skills but lose leaders due to soft-skill gaps, and how self-awareness and emotional intelligence underpin better communication, empathy and active listening. Both reflect on confidence, imposter feelings, and the role of natural talents in helping people thrive and feel a stronger sense of belonging.

Along the way, Joanne references her identity as a trans woman and how discomfort or fear of “getting it wrong” can become a barrier to inclusion, while Sylvie shares a moment of learning after worrying she may have caused offence, highlighting accountability and growth as essential habits for respectful workplaces.