Building Rapport

Written by Lizzie Moyle

For your next conversation where establishing rapport is important:

Set collaborative intentions

• Aim: Decide what collaborative outcome you’d really like from the conversation.Make sure it’s one that is good for both of you

• Assumptions: Check your negative assumptions.Decide to look for something positive about the person

Ask quality questions

• Curiosity: Get really curious about the other person.Ask quality open questions that signal curiosity.Ask “How are you thinking about this?”“What does great look like to you?”

• Listening: Properly listen to the answer.Notice what seems most significant, and ask more about that

Create a sense of in-group

• Find a shared interest: Look out for anything that signals interests or preferences that resonate with your own.Ask about it, and share your own experience

• Common goal: Find a common goal, which helps to build a deeper connection. Ask “What matters to you most in this” or “What do we hope to achieve”

Extracted from ‘How to Have a Good Day’ Caroline Webb