Can you establish instant rapport with people

Think holistically about people. Be consistent and you will be seen as reliable and trustworthy. Be open and honest and people will warm to you and trust you.

Exploring the use of phone, social media, email or a letter outside of your video calls can help to boost connection and understanding and develop strong relationships with people. This is an investment.

Be selective about who you want to get to know better, and take a long-term approach in building your relationships with these people. Empathy and trust takes time to get established. Rushing things can risk breaking that trust in a heartbeat. Making more than a real effort to stay in touch, communicate openly and consistently and in a friendly, human way will go a long way to help you build sustainable empathy and rapport in any situation.

Don't limit questions to work, either. People in business settings are less often asked about their personal passions and endeavors, so their answers will likely come from a more honest place. To turn an introductory question into a meaningful conversation , pay attention to moments when the person you're talking to shows a verbal or nonverbal spark. This is a sign they've hit on something important to them, so you'll know where to take the next open-ended question.

Of course, that requires listening with intent and empathy rather than following a preconceived script. It's human nature to want to align with those who are positive, confident and passionate. Studies show upon meeting someone, we're looking for evidence of confidence. Those first few seconds, we're evaluated on how we should be treated equal, superior, or inferior.

How do you project confidence? The experts suggest making eye contact for 60 to 70 percent of your interaction with someone, as well as standing with shoulders down and back, your chin and chest forward and slightly up, and your hands visible with your arms slightly away from your body.

Find what is authentic to you. If the conversation or your mannerism appear too forced or disingenuous, it will be an instant rapport crusher.

Top Stories. Top Videos. It can be considered as a state of harmonious understanding with another individual or group. Building rapport is the process of developing that connection with someone else. Sometimes rapport happens naturally. This is often how friendships start. However, rapport can also be built and developed consciously by finding common ground, and being empathic. This page examines rapport and how it can be built, especially when meeting new people.

Building rapport is the process of establishing that connection. It is usually based on shared experiences or views, including a shared sense of humour.

Building rapport tends to be most important at the start of an acquaintanceship or working relationship. The rapport created, however, can last for many years. Employers are more likely to employ somebody who they believe will get on well with their current staff. Personal relationships are easier to make and develop when there is a closer connection and understanding between the parties involved — i. When we first meet someone new, we start to try to build rapport.

Like it or not, this is why small talk exists: it is a way to try to find things in common with other people and build that shared bond. It is much easier to build rapport with someone who is very like you, or who shares a lot of your interests.

You have shared ground, and things to talk about. You also have a shared frame of reference. This makes both building a relationship, and communicating more generally, much easier.

Under those circumstances, working together is likely to be harder, and communication more difficult, because you lack a shared frame of reference. You will need to work harder to build rapport and develop your relationship - but this is still possible. For many, starting a conversation with a stranger is a stressful event. We may be lost for words, and awkward with our body language and mannerisms.

Creating rapport at the beginning of a conversation with somebody new will often make the outcome of the conversation more positive. By decreasing the tension in the situation communication becomes easier and rapport grows. When you meet somebody for the first time, there are some easy things that you can do to reduce the tension. This will help both of you to feel more relaxed and communicate more effectively.

These include:. Talk about established shared experiences, the weather, how you travelled to where you are. Avoid talking too much about yourself and avoid asking direct questions about the other person. See How to be Polite for more ideas. Listen to what the other person is saying and look for shared experiences or circumstances. This will give you more to talk about in the initial stages of communication.

See our page on Active Listening to learn how to listen effectively. Try to inject an element of humour. See Developing a Sense of Humour for more.