You’re in a meeting, struggling to focus. The presenter kicks things off with an engaging story, and you’re hooked. As they wrap up, their final slide makes a big impression. But what about the middle of the presentation? It’s a blur—a jumble of facts and figures that didn’t quite stick. Sounds familiar, isn’t it?
This isn’t just a fluke. It’s your brain following a well-documented pattern called the serial position effect. It shapes how we remember beginnings and endings far better than anything in between. While this quirk of memory may seem like a limitation, understanding it can actually give you a unique edge at work.
Hermann Ebbinghaus, a psychologist, first identified this effect in the 1880s, showing that people tend to remember the first and last items in a sequence. It’s why you recall the start of a great movie and its climactic ending but forget the subplot that happened halfway through.
In the workplace, this bias plays out everywhere—from hiring decisions to presentations, from team discussions to performance reviews. It’s not something we think about consciously, but it’s shaping how we process information and make decisions every single day.
Let’s say you’re hiring for a key role. You’ve interviewed several candidates, each with their own strengths. But when it’s time to choose, you find yourself drawn to the first candidate, who nailed their opening, or the last one, whose confident closing made a strong impression. That middle candidate—the one with consistent but quieter competence—may slip through the cracks.
This is a classic case of the serial position effect influencing decisions. It’s not just about what people say but when they say it.
Think back to the last presentation you attended. Chances are, you remember the opening anecdote or the powerful final takeaway, but the detailed charts in the middle? Not so much. The way a presentation is structured plays a huge role in how it’s perceived.
That means if you’re presenting, you have a golden opportunity to make the start and finish count. Open with something that grabs attention—a surprising statistic, a compelling question, or even a short story. Then, close with a clear call to action or a memorable insight.
The middle of any process—be it a project, a performance review, or a brainstorming session—is where the real work often happens. Yet, it’s also where things tend to get lost. A team member who quietly contributes valuable ideas throughout a project may be overshadowed by someone who makes a splashy debut or lands the final presentation.
For leaders, this presents a challenge. How can they ensure that the efforts in the middle aren’t overlooked? One way is to consciously highlight contributions during meetings and discussions. Create space for quieter voices to share their input and make sure those efforts are visible.
Understanding the serial position effect doesn’t mean you have to fight it—it means you can work with it. Here’s how:
Craft a strong opening and closing: Whether it’s an email, a presentation, or a conversation, start and end on a high note. A thoughtful opening can set the tone, while a clear, impactful close leaves a lasting impression.
Highlight the middle: If you’re leading a team or project, don’t let the middle get lost. Use tools such as progress reports or collaborative platforms to document contributions throughout the process.
Balance your approach: In meetings or discussions, rotate speaking orders so the same people aren’t always opening or closing. This ensures everyone gets a chance to shine.
Combat bias in decisions: Use structured processes for evaluations, such as reviewing notes side by side, to counteract the tendency to favour beginnings and endings.
Instead of viewing the serial position effect as a limitation, think of it as a tool. By recognising how it shapes your memory and decisions, you can use it to your advantage—whether you’re preparing for an interview, leading a team, or making a pitch.
So, the next time you walk into a meeting or start a project, ask yourself: What will people remember? Will it be your strong start, your impactful close, or the consistent brilliance in between? With a little effort, it can be all three.
The author, Antony Michaeline Praveen Maria, is Head- Technical Campus Recruitment and University Relationships, Tata Consultancy Services.
