Rapport (noun): a close and harmonious relationship where people understand each other's feelings or ideas, and communicate well
One of the key qualities of a good listener is being able to effectively establish rapport with the speaker. When people have a good rapport, they often have mirror each other in subtle ways. This can be seen in the following elements of rapport:
POSTURE - sitting, standing or holding their bodies in a similar (ex. crossing legs the same way, holding arms similarly, etc)
GESTURE - moving hands and arms similarly
TONALITY - using the same tone of voice or register
LANGUAGE - using the same words; copying each other's phrases
BREATHING - breathing at the same pace or in the same way
You can consciously put effort into the way you establish rapport by subtly mirroring or copying someone's posture, gesture, tonality, language or breathing patterns.
When to consciously apply rapport:
When you anticipate tension or anxiety in another
When tension or anxiety emerges during a conversation
When you can’t understand another person or when you're having difficulty paying attention to another
"Definition of Rapport in English:." Rapport. Oxford University Press, n.d. Web. 03 June 2015.
Costa, Arthur, Robert Garmston, Jane Ellison, and Carolee Hayes. Cognitive Coaching Seminars Foundation Training Learning Guide. 9th ed. N.p.: Cognitive Coaching Seminars, 2013. Print.