Dr. Shadé Zahrai3 Tips for better first impressions, productivity & pay raises | ABC7 News Live - Shadé Zahrai
At a glance
WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT
Three science-backed habits to impress, focus mornings, and earn raises
- First impressions form within seconds and hinge on perceived warmth first, then competence, so authenticity and genuine positive regard matter most.
- A simple way to appear warmer is to consciously look for positive qualities in others and offer specific, authentic praise rather than forced charm.
- To signal competence and respectability quickly, introduce yourself with both first and last name to reinforce professional value and memorability.
- Checking your phone immediately after waking can push you into alert/stress mode and derail the day, so protect the first ~20 minutes with intentional practices.
- Asking for a raise works best with a structured, evidence-based conversation: gratitude, results, market comparison, a clear ask, and a supportive close—followed by written documentation.
IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING
5 ideasPrioritize warmth before competence in first encounters.
She cites social cognition findings that people assess “Do I like/trust you?” before “Do I respect you?”, so connection cues matter before credentials.
Authenticity is the multiplier—without it, tactics backfire.
Eye contact, smiling, leaning in, and confident speech help only if they’re genuine; people detect performative behavior quickly.
Create genuine warmth by actively noticing positives in others.
Consciously seeking even small good qualities shifts your emotional state so you naturally come across warmer and more engaged.
Use specific, authentic praise to accelerate rapport.
Targeted compliments (e.g., praising enthusiasm) land as credible and can produce a stronger first impression than generic flattery.
State your first and last name to boost perceived professionalism.
Sharing a full name signals you consider yourself “worth remembering,” reinforcing competence and respectability in introductions.
WORDS WORTH SAVING
5 quotesSo what we know from social cognition research is that in a first encounter, people judge you subconsciously and in a matter of seconds on two things. First, warmth, do I like and trust you? Followed by competence, do I respect you?
— Dr. Shadé Zahrai
I could actually share with you tips on holding eye contact, smiling, leaning in to show interest, and speaking with confidence, but all of this will backfire if you're not being authentic, because people can tell.
— Dr. Shadé Zahrai
So I always recommend is a simple habit of consciously seeking the positive qualities in whoever you meet, no matter how small.
— Dr. Shadé Zahrai
And then an immediate way to boost your respectability is to share your first and your last name when you're introducing yourself.
— Dr. Shadé Zahrai
So the key to remember is that the first 20 minutes of your day can absolutely set you up for success.
— Dr. Shadé Zahrai
High quality AI-generated summary created from speaker-labeled transcript.
