When we think of people being in “rapport,” a picture comes to mind of a type of “emotional harmony” — sort of an “agreement between one another’s spirits.” The two people “get” one another. They enjoy each other.
Rapport can actually be built very quickly when there is a level of likeability, agreement, and shared qualities, and it obviously becomes even deeper and more sustainable over time.
The ability to create rapport is vital for anyone who desires to influence others professionally and personally, and for that matter, for those who simply want to enjoy any type of relationship with others. Here’s the challenge: The ability to do “rapport” is not necessarily innate for some.
“Establishing rapport is not an inborn gift; it is a skill anyone can develop — and it’s well worth doing, even if you never spend a day in a traditional sales job. The ability to create rapport with another is one of the most fundamental skills of being human. It makes life richer.” — John David Mann
How is rapport-building accomplished? Unsurprisingly, it begins with caring and having a high value for others. It can start by asking questions based on a “genuine interest” in the other person! That authentic interest alone takes you halfway there because, without it, even the most significant questions you ask may fall upon deaf ears.
REMEMBER: With authentic interest, the right questions will create a rapport that quickly establishes the “know, like, and trust” relationship that you will continue to cultivate.
What questions can you ask? Ask F-O-R-M” questions. What are “F-O-R-M” questions? These questions about family, occupation, recreation, and message/personal interests/causes can go a long way toward developing that rapport. The cool thing is that it’s not forced or manufactured, but it occurs very naturally when you are focused on them and tuned into their responses and feelings.
At Doing Good at Work, we equip and empower leaders and their people to understand that earthly transactions have eternal ramifications. That’s why we encourage, engage, and enable businesses and organizations to build workplaces that recognize, care, and support one another. Would you like to lead a workplace like this? If so, click HERE to start the conversation and explore how to sharpen your people strategy.
Building Rapport,
Boomer
Dr. Boomer Brown, Ph.D., is the CEO of Doing Good at Work. Doing Good at Work is a 501(c) 3 organization that functions like a business. We desire to “Make People Better” because we know better people make better businesses and better businesses make a better world. Learn more: https://doinggoodatwork.com/