It feels like an understatement to say Chris Eubank knows how to make an impression. Not only did he dominate the boxing scene across the 90s, winning 45 of his 52 professional fights (23 of them being knockouts!) he also continues to stand out as a celebrity and now the manager of Chris Eubank Jr.
It isn’t just his eccentric monocle-wearing ways, Eubank is truly a character in every sense. What is most astounding (bar his huge professional success) is that his character seems to jar with his profession and has on occasions caused others to brand him as a “fake” or a “pretender”. But in all his years in the limelight, he hasn’t wavered. Even just a couple of minutes into his talk at Ad Week you can tell he is no fake. He is a very considered, self-reflective man who has learnt and continues to learn who he is. But at the core of every decision he makes, he has a few simple principles he follows and accredits in how he can make an impression.
This first principle he abides by is humility, the quality of having a modest or lowly view of one’s importance. He explains a man who is a mountain in his achievements can become three times bigger if he is humble about his status. This makes an enormously positive impression as opposed to boastfulness which pushes people away from you. He elaborates how he saw this behaviour in its truest form on meeting Nelson Mandela who was so humble his achievements and greatness shone through.
The second principle is to be considerate which follows on quite clearly from humility. This is a lesson Eubank says he learnt from his mother after his first amateur boxing win. Whilst he was celebrating his victory, she asked him “what happened to the other boy?”. Being a good boxer, colleague and person, in general, requires you to appreciate the full picture, not just your point of view. Understanding another’s viewpoint also provides great vantage as you can understand the impression you can make. It isn’t about you looking good, it is about the role you play for people. This is how he explains he can be humble, considerate and a showman, as this is extremely different from being a show-off.
The final principle he works to is about always taking risks. Eubank eloquently said, “you will never embarrass yourself if you take a risk because at least you took part. When you step forward, even if you don’t win, you are showing courage and that in itself is inspirational.” Being inspirational is the best impression you can make on anyone.
I walked away not only very inspired but also ready to take on the day’s challenge very peacefully, which is not what you would expect from an inspirational talk from a boxer. It is quite simple; be kind, be humble and take risks. By doing so you can make a positive impression because you are actively being an influence on someone else rather than trying to influence. Be a role model by example.
See the full interview hosted by Matt Teeman from Primesight here below:
Making An Impression’ – Matt Teeman Goes One On One With Chris Eubank from AdvertisingWeek on Vimeo.