How to Coach Yourself and Others Techniques For Coaching | Page 90

Hanging your hand out like a dead fish comes across as insipid and
lacking in confidence, a bad start to any relationship and to be avoided.
Whilst you may have used the same handshake for your whole life so
far, it’s never too late to change, so if you’re conscious that you
sometimes don’t come across well in this area, start practicing.
Get, and use, their name
To assist you to build rapport with others, getting their name early in
the interaction is crucial. It’s just as important to use it a few times,
making the conversation more personal and increasing the likelihood
that you’ll remember it the next time you meet them.
Be conscious of your body language
When meeting people for the first time, it’s obviously important that
you appear relaxed and open in your stance and that you make good
eye contact. As the conversation goes on, it can also help to mirror the
body language of the person you’re speaking to, not in an obvious way,
but in a way that gives the impression that you’re “in synch” with each
other. Make sure as well that you’re focused on the person that you’re
talking to, not looking around the room, which can give the impression
that you’re looking for someone more interesting to talk to.
Find common interests, but keep it about them
People like people who share interests with them, so asking questions
about their family, work, background, even favourite sporting teams
can assist you to find common ground with the other person. However,
when you’ve found one or two points of affiliation, don’t take that as
permission to talk too much yourself. Ask questions to get the other
person talking, enabling them to feel more comfortable and confident
with you.

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