The 25% You See and the 75% You Do Not with Bob Bliss

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast I talk with Bob Bliss about first impressions and what people miss when they size each other up. He uses what he calls the iceberg inversion. When you meet someone, you see about 25% of them. The other 75% sits below the surface.

Bob shares a moment where a friend called him “lucky” because work and opportunities seemed to come to him. Bob pushed back and explained the part his friend did not see. People told him he would never go to college or lead a college. He fought through a speech problem. He lived through getting shot, stabbed, and hurt in accidents. That history shaped him, but it does not show up in the first handshake.

He also proves how fast people judge. In his talks, he gives someone a weak handshake, then reveals he broke his hand. The room shifts. The same person gets read a new way.

We talk about how to learn the 75%. Ask simple questions. How long have you been here. What brought you into this work. What do you do for fun. Let people tell their own story.

We also draw a line between acquaintances and friends. Most people stay on the surface. Friends know what is underneath. Bob even uses golf to learn how people act under stress. Patience, temper, respect for others. He has hired people that way.

If you want real connection, slow down and look past the surface.