The new immigrant journey in Canada makes you meet and greet several new people in your personal as well as professional space. Want to leave a pleasant and memorable first impression on them? We’ve got advice from a communication coach that will come in handy for all newcomers. Watch this video for some communication tips to ensure you leave a good first impression in Canada.
Do you habitually address people as Mr. or Miss or Sir or Ma’am? Is that even the norm in North America? Or is it, in fact, a dealbreaker? “It depends on the industry or profession you’re in,” says Gloria Pierre, president, Clearly Speaking – a company that provides speech and language services to students, newcomers, and internationally trained professionals, among others.
Also watch: Master first impressions during networking
In this interview, Gloria dives into the details of communicating right. She elaborates on the relevance of space and gestures as you put your best foot forward, as well as the need to understand different cultures and pick up on cues. We hope you gain valuable insights from this video and leave a good first impression in Canada in every personal and professional interaction.
Video transcript:
Shaili Saini:
Hello everyone. Welcome to New Canadians. Don’t we all wanna know how to leave a memorable first impression? Well, to answer this question, we have with us Gloria Pierre, a communication coach. Welcome Gloria.
Gloria Pierre:
Thank you.
Shaili Saini:
Well, first things first, Gloria. I think everybody wants to know in Canada, is it okay to refer to someone as Mr. or Ms./Sir or Ma’am?
Gloria Pierre:
You usually hear those terms in businesses like hospitality or sales. If you’re meeting someone for the first time, I would recommend calling them Mr. or addressing them as Mr., Mrs or Dr., if applicable. And those people will tell you how they want to be addressed. If you are meeting someone via email and you don’t know their last name, dear Sir or Madam, it’s quite okay. Also, don’t call people by their first names unless they give you permission to do so. And if you are in public spaces, be mindful of what’s going on around you. Always be mindful, always be observant and listen to what is being said and how people are addressing each other. And take your cues from them.
Shaili Saini:
It’s not easy to get away from one’s habit. One might be used to calling the other as Mr or Miss. Is it okay, or is it a deal breaker here?
Gloria Pierre:
It’s if you’re not in those industries, hospitality or sales, it might be a deal breaker and depending on who you’re speaking to, if that person is not familiar with those terms and how people are addressed in different parts of the world, also, people could be taking it differently. They could misinterpret being called Mr. or Mrs. They may think that you’re fawning on them or you’re just people pleasing, which can turn people off. So it could be a deal breaker.
Shaili Saini:
So, can body language make or break one’s first impression?
Gloria Pierre:
It can be yes, depending on who you are meeting for the first time. So, for example, in Canada, we require 18 inches of personal space. If anybody broaches that and gets closer to us, we start to feel uncomfortable. Whereas in some other cultures, being very close and almost being so close face-to-face, or maybe your nose is touching, I’m kidding. Your nose is touching. That’s quite okay, but not in North America. So we require us to stay apart because if, like I said, if the person you’re meeting is not accustomed to this, they will start to get very suspicious. Why are you crowding my space? Back off! They may not say it; they will think it, though, and that will colour their treatment of you because they didn’t know.
Shaili Saini:
Gestures are also very important. Can you give us some details of the gestures?
Gloria Pierre:
Okay! So gestures mean different things in different cultures, and even more differently in North America or maybe absent in North America. So some gestures are nodding. Nodding up and down in some cultures means yes, nodding up and down means no. So if you’re not familiar with the culture, you will be very confused. Other gestures or handshakes do in your culture, do you shake hands, or do you do the elbow, or do you, you know, tap on the shoulder? You just have to know. So there are many times when I meet people and I stretch my hand out for a handshake, and they don’t reciprocate, and I think that’s rude. But then, after I start, I learn more about cultures. I realize that in some cultures, they don’t have handshakes, and also in some subcultures, only people of a certain status shake hands, and someone who’s of a lower status cannot shake hands with somebody who’s of a higher status. So these are all things that can be very confusing to newcomers and actually the people who are living in North America, because everything is so different.
Shaili Saini:
Absolutely. And so we will be wrapping this discussion with some tips from your side.
Gloria Pierre:
Okay. Two tips, actually, I have. The first one is, when you meet someone, what is the first time, second time, always greet them with a smile, eye contact and hello, because those are the fastest ways to develop rapport. And the second tip is from Les Brown, a motivational speaker. He said, ‘How you dress is how you’re addressed!’ And that quote has had the biggest impact on me if I want to create a very good impression.
Shaili Saini:
Thank you so much, Gloria, for your time.
Gloria Pierre:
You’re very welcome.
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