What do we see about people who are in rapport?

Have you noticed that when people enjoy being with each other, they have a tendency to use the same words or phrases, or dress in a similar way or have matching body language? For example, observe a group of teenagers who are friends and notice the similarities in their clothing, their choice of words and how they walk or sit.

Have you noticed that people who are not in rapport have different postures, gestures, voice tonality and often don’t even make eye contact?

Have you ever had an opportunity to observe someone (or yourself) who did not want to attend a meeting or who did not trust the other people at the meeting? Did you notice a difference in their body language, voice tonality, where they sat, etc. compared to the others in the meeting? 

Next time you are in a restaurant or at a reception, look around and you will discover people who are enjoying each other’s company exhibiting similar postures, gestures and voice tonality.

 This shows us – the more we like the other person, the more we choose to be like the other person.

To build trust and enhance your relationship with the ‘other person’, either in a business or in a personal situation, try building rapport – using your body language, voice, voice tone and perhaps even your choice of words.

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