Rapport

Building Rapport
It doesn't matter what industry you're in or what position you hold – knowing how to build
rapport can bring you countless opportunities. After all, when you have a rapport with someone,
he or she will usually want to help you to succeed.
Some people might argue that this is all a natural gift – either you can build rapport with people
or you can't. However, this is not the whole story. Rapport can develop naturally, but anyone can
also nurture and improve rapport, just as they can any other skill.
So what is rapport, and how can you become skilled at developing it? We'll examine this, and
more, in this article.
What Is Rapport?
Rapport forms the basis of meaningful, close and harmonious relationships between people. It's
the sense of connection that you get when you meet someone you like and trust, and whose point
of view you understand. It's the bond that forms when you discover that you share one another's
values and priorities in life.
According to researchers Linda Tickle-Degnen and Robert Rosenthal, when you have a rapport
with someone, you share:
Mutual attentiveness: you're both focused on, and interested in, what the other person is saying
or doing.
Positivity: you're both friendly and happy, and you show care and concern for one another.
Coordination: you feel "in sync" with one another, so that you share a common understanding.
Your energy levels, tone and body language are also similar.
This connection can appear instantly – when you "click" with someone – or develop slowly, over
time. It can grow naturally, without intent, or you can deliberately set out to build it.
Rapport isn't just a tool for building relationships, though; it's often the foundation of success.
When you have a rapport with someone, you're better placed to influence, learn and teach,
particularly as the trust that you've built up means other people are more likely to accept your
ideas, to share information, and to create opportunities together.
Whether you're being interviewed for a job, selling something, or trying to improve a
relationship , knowing how to build rapport can help you to perform successfully.
Tip:
Rapport is similar to trust. You can build trust and rapport simultaneously, but rapport focuses
more on establishing a bond or connection, whereas trust relies more on establishing a reputation
for reliability, consistency and keeping your promises.
How to Build Rapport
Rapport must be a two-way connection between people, so it's not something that you can create
by yourself. You can, however, learn how to stimulate it by following these six steps.
Warning:
Use your best judgment when applying these techniques. Be sure not to use them cynically or
dishonestly, to sell people something that they wouldn't otherwise want, for example, or to
manipulate them into a course of action that's against their best interests.
1. Check Your Appearance
First impressions count , and your appearance should help you to connect with people, not create
a barrier. A good rule of thumb is to dress just a little "better" than the people you're about to
meet. However, if you arrive and see that you're overdressed, you can quickly dress down to suit
the situation.
2. Remember the Basics
Always remember the basics of good communication :

Be culturally appropriate .
Smile.
Relax .
Remember people's names .
Hold your head up and maintain a good posture.
Listen carefully and attentively .
Don't outstay your welcome.
These basic tenets form the foundation of great communication. It will be hard to establish
rapport without them, as they will help you to establish trust, empathy, and a feeling in people
that you are listening to them.
3. Find Common Ground
Identifying common ground can help to establish rapport, so use small talk to find something
that you both share.
Most people like talking about themselves, and the more genuine interest you show in them, the
more likely they are to relax and "open up." Use open-ended questions to discover personal
information: perhaps you attended the same college, share the same hobbies, grew up in the same
city, or support the same sports team. Even just expressing your shared frustration at the traffic
that delayed your journeys to work can help you to draw closer to someone.
Tip 1:
It's important to be genuine and sincere, and to avoid overdoing things. Don't make up an
interest or try too hard, just to create rapport. Not only can this seem desperate and off-putting,
but it can also dent your credibility!
Tip 2:
Laughter is a great tool for building rapport, but do use humor with care. Not everyone can tell a
joke, and what might seem like acceptable sarcasm to you could cause offense to somebody else.
If you think there's a possibility that a comment might be taken the wrong way, don't make it.
4. Create Shared Experiences
Rapport can't grow without human interaction, and a great way to interact is to create new,
shared experiences. Shared experiences can be as simple as attending the same conference
session together, or as complex as cooperating on a new management process. Working
collaboratively to define problems, devise solutions, and design strategies, for example, can help
to bring you and the other person closer.

Rapport

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Rapport

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Rapport

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

What are the six steps to build rapport?

What are some tips for finding common ground?

Building Rapport

How to Build Rapport

1. Check Your Appearance

2. Remember the Basics

Always remember the basics of good communication :

Remember people's names .

Hold your head up and maintain a good posture.

Listen carefully and attentively .

Don't outstay your welcome.

3. Find Common Ground

4. Create Shared Experiences

You might also like