Rapport Clothing
Clothing should not be too tight or show-offish. For maximum rapport, don’t wear muscle tops, reveal-
ing dresses, or anything to “peacock” in a dominant manner. (Peacocking means drawing attention to
yourself with wild accessories.)
If you do want to peacock, wear something humourous or odd, such as a bright red shirt and an un-
usual hat. If you’re dead-set on showing off your body, then do so in the most subtle possible. The key
is to look non-threatening.
Rapport Stance
Your stance should be alert and confident, with open gestures. Avoid putting your hands on your hips
or folding your arms. Do not press your knees or feet together, as this is a defensive posture.
Be willing to shake hands with everyone you meet. If you have sweaty hands, hold a napkin or spare
shirt in your right hand - no-one will question it. When it comes time to shake hands, swap the absor-
bent item into your left hand and your right hand should still be dry by the time you shake hands.
You can tell a lot about someone just from watching their posture. Here are five examples of posture:
The legs are identical - all that changes is the position of the arms, shoulders and angle of the head.
Can you tell which picture matches which description?
- Ashamed, shy, not confident
- Alert, confident, perhaps even aggressively so
- Neutral, non-threatening
- Disappointed, bored, uninterested
- Defensive, threatening, challenging