Building Rapport

Building rapport and relationships are essential to professional growth, regardless of industry or job function. Whether you're a salesperson or a software developer, building genuine relationships with people and establishing yourself as a trusted contact is invaluable for career success.

But how do you do it? How exactly do you build relationships that will help boost your professional development? In this blog post, we'll discuss six key strategies for building rapport successfully and maximizing your potential for professional growth. Read on to learn more.

What is Rapport?

Rapport is the process of creating a relationship of trust and understanding with another person. It is the foundation upon which all communication and interactions are built. The ability to establish rapport is essential in both personal and professional relationships.

Rapport is created through a process of mutual respect, communication, and empathy. It requires an appreciation for the other person's point of view, as well as a willingness to share your own. The goal of rapport is to create a safe environment where both parties feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings.

The ability to build rapport is a skill that can be learned as well as developed over time. There are specific key things to keep in mind when trying to establish rapport with another person:

• Make eye contact and smile when you greet them.
• Listen more than you speak. 
• Avoid interrupting or refrain from finishing their sentences for them.
• Find common ground. What do you have in common? What can you connect on?
• Be genuine in your interest in the other person.

What are the Benefits of Building Rapport?

Rapport building is key to success in any field, but it is crucial for professional growth. This can lead to better communication, improved relationships, and increased opportunities for career advancement.

There are many benefits to building rapport, including:

• Improved communication: When you have a rapport with someone, you are more likely to be able to communicate effectively with them. This can make it easier to resolve conflicts and misunderstandings, as well as simply get your point across.

• Stronger relationships: Rapport is the foundation of strong personal and professional relationships. When you have a rapport with a person, you are more likely to trust them and be able to work together effectively.

• Increased opportunities: Establishing rapport can open doors to new opportunities for career advancement. If people know that they can trust and rely on you, they are more likely to recommend you for new roles or projects.

6 Strategies for Building Rapport

1. Active Listening to Build Rapport

Active listening is a vital skill for anyone looking to build rapport with others. By truly listening and engaging with what the other person is saying, you can create a connection that can be beneficial for both parties.

Ask open questions and listen- so rather than yes and no answers, it opens up the possibilities for answers and encourages conversations. Upon their response, listen to what they are telling you and remember things that they have said. 

Remembering small details and using them later on helps the other person feel listened to and understood. It can make someone's day that you have remembered something about them, which in turn starts to build the connection between the two of you and adds another layer of the building blocks.

Here are some tips for active listening:

• Make eye contact and give the person your full attention.
• Don't interrupt and let the person finish speaking.
• Repeat back what you heard to ensure you understood correctly.
• Ask questions if you need clarification.
• Avoid making assumptions or jumping to conclusions.

Find common ground; it's much easier to build a relationship when you have something in common, even if it's just something like the weather or the terrible traffic that morning. You may have a shared interest in travel or pets. Small talk can give you something familiar that helps people relate to each other. Try and avoid controversial topics, though, i.e., politics or religion.

2. Nonverbal Communication and Rapport Building

There are multiple ways to build rapport, but one of the most important is through nonverbal communication. This includes things like eye contact, body language, and vocal inflection. It's essential to be aware of these cues when communicating with others, as they can play a significant role in how the conversation goes.

For example, good eye contact shows your interest in what the opposite person has to say. It conveys confidence and sincerity. On the other hand, poor eye contact can make you seem disinterested or untrustworthy.

• Similarly, positive body language can make you appear open and approachable, while negative body language can make you seem closed off or uninterested. 
• Crossing your arms or legs, slouching, or fidgeting conveys disinterest or discomfort, whereas standing up straight, making space for the other person, and mirroring their body language conveys interest and engagement.
• Also, it's important to pay attention to your tone of voice when building rapport with others. Speaking too softly or too loudly, using monotone speech, or speaking too fast can all come across as disrespectful or uninterested.

3. Developing Empathy

Empathy is a crucial ingredient in successful relationships. It allows us to connect with others on a deeper level and builds trust and rapport. When you take the time to understand another person, you open up the possibility for authentic connection and growth.

• When developing empathy, it is important to remember that we all see the world through our unique lens. To understand and appreciate someone else's perspective, we must first be aware of our own biases and assumptions. Once we are aware of our own tendencies, we can begin to work on opening our minds to alternate points of view.
• One way to develop empathy is to put yourself in another person's shoes. Try to imagine how they see the world and what experiences have shaped their worldview. 
• Another way to develop empathy is to actively listen when someone is speaking to you. Pay attention to both the words they are saying and the emotions they are conveying. Seek initially to understand and then to be understood.

4. Understanding People's Motivations

In order to successfully build rapport with others for professional growth, it is essential to understand what motivates them. What drives their actions and decisions? What do they hope to achieve by building relationships with you?

Answering these questions can be difficult, but it's crucial in order to create lasting, meaningful connections. By understanding what motivates someone, you can better tailor your interactions to meet their needs and build a strong foundation for future growth.

Be sincere and genuine, don't pretend to be interested in something you're not. You will get found out, and this could damage the relationship before it has even started.

5. Sharing Stories

Another effective way to build rapport is by sharing stories. When you share a story, you let the other person know you have something in common. This can help to build trust and understanding between you and the other person.

When sharing a story, it is important to be genuine. The other person should be able to feel your emotions through your story. This will help to create a connection between you and the other person. It is also important to be vulnerable when sharing a story. 

• You should not try to hide any negative emotions that you may feel. By being vulnerable, you are showing the other person that you trust them enough to share your story with them.
• Make sure that they are interesting. If your stories are boring, the other person is not likely to want to listen to them. Make sure that your stories have a point and are engaging. The more interesting your stories are, the more likely the other person will want to hear them.
• Always remember to listen to the stories of others as well. When you spend time listening to someone else's story, it shows that you value them and their experiences. It can go a long way in building rapport with others.

6. Communication Techniques

There are many different ways to build rapport with others, but some basic communication techniques can go a long way:

• Be an active listener. Pay attention and try to understand their perspective.
• Ask questions. This shows that you're interested in the conversation and want to learn more about the other person.
• Mirror the other person's body language. This creates a sense of rapport and can make the other person feel more comfortable with you.
• Use open body language. Avoid crossing your arms or legs, which can make you seem closed off or uninterested.
• Make eye contact. This demonstrates that you're engaged in the conversation and builds trust between you and the other person.
• Smile. Smiling conveys warmth and friendliness, two critical components of building rapport.

Conclusion

Whether in the workplace or when networking, having good communication skills and establishing relationships with others is vital. Building rapport allows you to establish trust and credibility with clients, colleagues, and supervisors. By developing strong relationships, you can create a strong support network to help you advance your career.