What is Rapport?
Rapport is the ability to put yourself on somebody else’s wavelength, quickly and successfully, removing awkward silences and encouraging them to trust in you and what you are saying.
It is an integral part of forming any relationship, be that business or personal, short or long term. It enables you to feel relaxed and communicate easily with others, by being flexible in both your behaviour and attitude. It also allows the discussion of difficult topics, without feeling uncomfortable or uneasy.
There are different ways of establishing rapport with someone and choosing which methods are going to work the best in any given situation, comes with understanding, observation and practice.
How Can I Build Rapport?
An easy way to begin is to simply watch and listen to the other person. Notice their breathing pattern and copy it, by breathing in the same way. Listen to their speech, the phrases that they use and the rhythm and tone of their voice and introduce some of them into your speech pattern. Look at the way that they sit or stand and match it with your own posture.
Some people of course do some or all of this naturally and, like a good actor, it is most successful when it’s not overdone. If you look at some of the more famous self help gurus and inspirational speakers, one of the things they all have in common is that they are all excellent communicators. They are able to make groups of people value and trust in both their words and their advice, in a very short space of time, simply by talking to them. For some of them it is a gift, but for others it is an art that they have learned and finessed over time, just as you can.
Why Do I Need Good Rapport?
It’s true to say that first impressions count and research has shown that people’s judgement of others is formed from the following percentages -7% the words they use 38% tone of voice and 55% facial expressions, gestures and body posture. Think about that, they are all things that you can control in yourself, notice in others and use to your advantage in any situation.
The great thing is that once you have successfully established rapport with another person or group, you can still communicate successfully and positively, even if you are not agreeing with what they have said. By respecting the fact that they have their own opinion and view of the world and accepting the fact that though it may well be entirely different to your own, it is no less valid, you are free to safely explore differences in opinion and reach a common conclusion, without encountering hostility or friction.
When you have managed to do these things without too much conscious effort, you will find it easier and more enjoyable conversing with people and on subjects that you may once have felt uncomfortable with and be generally more at ease and confident in what you have to say.
There is no magic trick to building rapport, just by being aware of what it is and utilising it to your advantage, in your day to day conversations and business transactions, you will find an improvement in those interactions and this, in turn, will remove a large amount of the stress from your interactions with others.
I hope that you have found this article helpful and instructive. If you are interested in finding out more about this or any other area of self improvement, please have a look at the personal resources page on my business website, www.tpcinternetmarketing.com
Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/rapport-part-1–building-rapport-what-how-and-why-1797667.html
Article Author: julian
About the Author: I spent 18 years in the Groundhog Day environment of the corporate world, finally taking a deep breath, opening my eyes and leaving, to become a full time personal development specialist, being qualified as a practitioner of NLP, Time Line Therapy™ and Hypnosis. <br />
Also, i wanted to pursue my passion for writing, from which i now have a published rock n’ roller sort of book, Yeah Baby, available from amazon & everywhere else.
I am also an internet marketer and founder member of The Six Figure Mentors business group and i enjoy greatly the freedom and rewards it brings me, allowing me to choose when, where and with whom i work, leaving me ample time to spend with my family and pursue my love of travel more freely.<br />
Amongst all this i discovered article writing, which is a great way to combine NLP and writing, and from which everyone can profit, one way or another.
http://www.julianandamanda.com