How to Build Rapport and Increase Your Influence
On my first day in improv, my teacher had me mirror my partner.
It went like this: without talking, as my partner moved, I copied her exact movements. I watched her very closely. At first, I was so stuck in my head, feeling self-conscious. She lifted her arms, so did I. She blinked, so did I. Then I started to feel a feeling of liking and connection with my practice partner. So did she. She was like me. I was like her. The ice was broken. It wasn't about me anymore.
Rapport is that feeling of liking you have with someone you like. That feeling of being in flow. Most people think building rapport is getting to know each other's backgrounds. That's a great thing, getting to know each other, but on a subconscious level, real rapport is a feeling that someone is one of your people. And it's not because you went to the same high school or know that one guy from Irvine who became famous (that'd be Will Ferrell, and others probably :D).
Remember, the WORDS you use are only 7% of communication. Your physiology and tonality make up the other 93%! How to create rapport? Practice the above. Match or mirror your partner’s posture, movements, tonality, breathing, volume. Yes, even on Zoom.
WHY create rapport? Rapport can increase your influence, impact, and revenue.
And here's why.
Are you ready?
Because rapport, when done right, affirms to others that you actually care about them. It also makes personal growth and inner healing techniques like those in NLP MORE effective!
Ecology is of the utmost importance in NLP. That means for the good of the client and all beings. So this isn't about manipulating people. It's about connecting with them. And getting out of your own way as you do that.
Did this help you or get you thinkin'? Leave a 🌝 in the comments! And try this out today!
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