Mirroring - How We Build RapportSummaryMirroring someone's body language makes them feel accepted
and creates a bond and is a phenomenon that occurs naturally
between friends and people of equal status. Conversely, we
make a point of not mirroring those we don't like or strangers,
such as those riding with us in a lift or standing in the queue
at the cinema.
Mirroring the other person's body language and speech pat-
terns is one of the most powerful ways to build rapport
quickly. In a new meeting with someone, mirror his seating
position, posture, body angle, gestures, expressions and tone
of voice. Before long, they'll start to feel that there's something
about you they like - they'll describe you as 'easy to be with'.
This is because they see themselves reflected in you. A word of
Warning, however: don't do it too early in a new encounter as
many people have become aware of mirroring strategies since
Walking in step - Charles leads, Camilla follows slightly behind;
after the beginning of the Iraqi conflict in 2003, Tony Blair began
to mirror George Bush's Thumbs-in-Belt gesture