“Rapport is old-school, look ‘em in the eye sincerity"
Written by Working Voices • 29 October, 2024
Interpersonal Communication Skills Article
Rapport is the perky lovechild of trust and communication. Opening the way to riches and rewards, it keeps the conversation going even when there’s nothing to say. Rising above the angst and hurly burly of the 2020s, rapport is rooted in reassuring sincerity through a package of learnable skills that develop relationships, create positive workplaces, and secure deals and contracts. Rapport will save us all from oblivion, or at least get us through to Friday. Here’s how.
Rapport is old-school. It’s look ‘em in the eye, saying please and thank you, promising to email and actually doing so. These are the traits of trust. They can’t be sacrificed to efficiency savings, scrapped in favour of short-cuts, or replicated by a chatbot. The value of rapport lies in the fact that it’s personal and therefore means something. When a person says, “I’m sorry”, that’s rapport. When AI has been programmed to say it – for example, “I’m sorry the train is late” – that’s just disingenuous virtue-signalling.
Rapport is the art of building connections with people, whether in a brief meeting or over time in a long-term professional relationship. Bridging differences, cultivating empathy, and promoting cooperation, rapport involves being genuine, transparent, and reliable in your interactions with other people.
Rapport helps you notice nuances in body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions, so that you see what someone is saying and can show them understanding and empathy.
At the heart of rapport, trust enables individuals to share openly, express vulnerability, and collaborate on common goals without fear of judgment or betrayal. As a fundamental element of presentation skills, rapport can open important doors. It can initiate conversations, close a deal, and lead the way to new opportunities.
In a large organisation, rapport is the glue that keeps teams together despite differences in age, background, or personality. It enhances teamwork, boosts morale, and develops the kind of company culture that leads to stronger collaboration with colleagues and clients.
In a positive work culture, employees feel valued, respected, and motivated to perform at their best. Rapport at this level, rooted in trust and encouraged by a supportive and empowering leadership style, is the antidote to a destructive culture of blame or back-stabbing.
Rapport allows employees to feel comfortable when sharing ideas, seeking help, or offering constructive feedback. In this atmosphere, employees are more likely to listen attentively, understand differing perspectives, work together towards common goals, and feel a sense of belonging.
When employees feel a sense of connection, they are more engaged, motivated, and satisfied with their jobs. This can result in higher levels of morale, fewer conflicts, decreased turnover rates, and stronger productivity.
Effective rapport relies on genuine interest in other people, not all of them and not all the time – but at least with whoever you need to build a professional relationship with. Start by developing these core skills:
Demonstrate genuine interest by listening to understand the other person’s thoughts and concerns. Eye contact is important, which is why keeping your camera on matters when building relationships virtually.
Use open and welcoming body language to show that you’re ready to chat. Avoid crossing arms, fidgeting, or defensive postures.
Though the other person may express opinions that miss key facts or nuances, it’s important to show you’re listening even if you don’t agree with them.
By subtly mirroring the other person’s body language, tone of voice, and energy levels, you can better develop a sense of connection and empathy.
Pick up on shared interests, experiences, or values. Discussing mutual hobbies or ambitions can quickly encourage a sense of understanding.
Avoid stifling a conversation through persistent questions, instead recognise points made by the other person and develop them through open-ended questions.
Ask follow-up questions that demonstrate curiosity and interest in the other person’s comments and achievements.
Be true to yourself and genuine in your interactions, while focusing on areas of mutual interest and minimising potential points of disagreement.
Make an effort to remember important details about the other person, not least their name, interests, and any helpful personal anecdotes.
Follow up with the other person after meeting them. Sending a thoughtful message or checking in every now and again shows that you value the relationship.
Protect long-term client relationships through simple actions like active listening. This is particularly important in virtual communication when energy and body language are less obvious. Many techniques can help you develop rapport with clients, including:
Ask relevant questions: Use open-ended questions to gather information about customers’ goals, preferences, and challenges. Tailor your recommendations based on their individual needs.
Keep it personal: Show that you value clients by referencing previous interactions or purchases. Consider these not as past events but as starting points for future business.
Be responsive and accessible: Respond promptly to inquiries, whether in person, over the phone, or online. Make yourself accessible and available to address any concerns or questions.
Exceed expectations: Go above and beyond to exceed expectations, and provide exceptional service. Surprise them with unexpected gestures of goodwill or personalized recommendations.
Follow up: After completing a transaction or resolving an issue, follow up with customers to ensure their satisfaction, and address any lingering concerns.
Be transparent and honest: Build trust by being transparent about your products or services, pricing, and policies. Avoid misleading or deceptive practices that could erode trust.
Show gratitude: Express appreciation for clients’ business and loyalty through feedback, discounts, or special offers. A little gratitude goes a long way in fostering client loyalty.
Continuous improvement: Ask for feedback and use it to improve your products, services, and customer experience.
Protect the relationships your organisation depends on by developing rapport that leads to repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals.
Rapport can be seen in an empathic sales pitch, in client care when delivering products and services, and in follow ups and feedback. Within an organisation, rapport oils the wheels between leaders and their people, within teams, and in workplace friendships.
Unsustainable ways of working, that disregard the risks of fatigue and burnout, can compromise an organisation’s future. Effective communication and rapport ensure that employees are regarded as people rather than as parts of a process.
Sustainable working practices lead to stronger connections within teams and between leaders and their people, contributing to a long-term sense of belonging. This kind of thinking, that embeds trust and respect into company culture, spills over into relationships with clients which then strengthens reputation and retention.
Rapport then is key to an organisation’s long-term planning. At Working Voices, our Sustainable Human training programme helps organisations protect themselves in uncertain times by developing their culture. Leaders who encourage trust, respect, safety, and belonging create a positive working environment that leads to better engagement and higher productivity. In times of angst and hurly burly, training your people in the fundamentals of rapport is an investment in your future.
Get our latest insights by subscribing to our newsletter. Each week you'll receive updates helping you to understand and respond to the challenges facing your organisation. We won't share your details with anyone and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Learn to tackle the day-to-day challenges faced by women in the workplace with confidence, control and conviction.
This fast-paced interactive talk delivered by our motivational keynote speakers provides insight on how women can communicate with more impact and how they can develop within a leadership role by enhancing their personal presence. Our women’s speakers aim to help you build the confidence to be included in meetings, and raise your visibility as an authentic and influential leader. This talk can be tailored to your business and any specific requirements you might have.
The founder and CEO of Working Voices, Nick Smallman has been at the top of his profession for 25 years. Advising global blue-chip clients on engagement, productivity, and retention, he counsels leaders on increasing revenue via simple cultural adjustments.
Overseeing the successful expansion of Working Voices across the UK, the US, Asia, and the Middle East, Nick supports the leadership and communication capabilities of clients in a wide range of sectors. In particular, he has advised companies such as JP Morgan, Barclays, Sony, Nomura, M&S, and Blackrock for more than 15 years.
Developing his reputation for thought leadership, in recent years Nick has been leading work on The Sustainable Human, the subject of his forthcoming book. A concept unique to Working Voices, The Sustainable Human offers a package of solutions focusing on leadership enablement, future skills, and cultural harmony.
Working closely with HR specialist Mercer, Nick has developed solutions to four key modern workplace challenges:
“I’m excited to share the conclusions of three years of research that, if implemented, can make an immediate practical difference to leaders and their organisations.”
All articles by Nick Smallman
Our motivating keynote speakers will help you to gain an understanding of how you present yourself to others and how they identify with you. You’ll also gain an understanding of how influence and the development of a personal brand can enhance your impact. In this enthusing talk our expert business speakers will explore the practicalities and techniques involved in developing a suitable personal brand and creating a strong personal impact.
Networking skills are important for achieving success in business. This talk delivered by our engaging keynote speakers will provide you with an insight into good networking etiquette. Our business speakers will focus on understanding the importance of networking, how to plan and prep before an event. You’ll learn some good tips for reading group body language and some essential icebreakers to get you started.
Parents all over the world are becoming increasingly worried about the effect of screen use on their children’s mental health. In addition to a lack of understanding as to what they are looking at there is the deeper issue of how online behaviour is shaping the way that children think and form relationships. We unpack the neuroscience behind the addictive nature of screen time and offer a blueprint to help parents coach their children towards a more fruitful relationship with the internet.
The internet is lauded as a giant leap for communication and a vehicle for mass connection in a busy world. What is also becoming clear is the opportunity for bad actors to manipulate important social, cultural and political conversations through the dissemination of misinformation and disinformation. We lay bare the methods that are used to inject confusion and grievance into the conversation and how we as consumers are not naturally wired to combat this. We will offer a framework to help protect you from fake news, distraction and getting sucked in to destructive communication
70% of people will experience a genuine fear of being exposed as not good enough, of being a fraud in their working lives; this talk will help you combat such feelings and deliver practical guidance that will help you feel confident and comfortable when taking on the next big challenge.
In a world dominated by showmen, charismatics and influencers it is becoming more and more difficult to find leaders that are intellectually credible as well as influential. The ability to think critically is being downgraded while the ability to attract attention is lauded. It is possible to do both and we will show how strong mental models can underpin a long-term leadership persona.
The self-help industry is an ever expanding and hugely popular vehicle for personal development. Humans have an innate desire to improve themselves and raise their status – what’s not to love? However, some of the ideas and tropes used in many of the self-help products available rely on flawed thinking to be successful. We explore 6 major themes, deconstruct their effectiveness and relevance in the modern world and provide an alternatives that are more effective.
“Your personal brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.” Jeff Bezos (Founder and Chairman of Amazon) that’s why it matters so much. It’s all about creating the right external impression, ensuring it is authentic and makes you stand out from the crowd. This inspirational talk by our expert keynote speakers will explore the methods, techniques and practises of developing an authentic personal brand that gets you noticed.
Presenting can be a daunting ordeal at the best of times but this highly interactive and fast paced talk will help build your confidence and improve your delivery with any audience. Our keynote speaker will take you through how best to prepare for your big moment, along with helping you look and sound the part as well.
TED Talks can be both informative and inspiring, but how do the best speakers deliver their message with such impact? In this talk, one of our inspiring keynote speakers will walk you through the TED method and help you deliver your very own idea with confidence and precision.
Emotional intelligence is about the ability to identify, assess and manage the emotions of yourself, of others and of groups. Having a high EQ will improve your ability to maintain good working relationships and communicate successfully. This highly interactive talk will give you a practical insight into how emotional intelligence works. Our expert keynote speakers will give you a concise overview of the emotional intelligence know-how and stratagems you need to interact commendably with clients and colleagues.
Making a good impression and having a strong personal presence is an important part of being successful in business and in life. Personal impact is about having presence and charisma. In this engaging talk our motivational keynote speakers will explore what both of these actually mean, what they look like and feel like. We will look at the practicalities of each and punctuate both topics with brief exercises to help you to become more aware of the way you interact with others. This is an exciting and interactive talk which our expert business speakers deliver in an inspirational style.
Successful people are super communicators – they think clearly and are expert at interacting with others. They understand themselves, other people and know that superior relationships are the cornerstone to a fulfilling life These characteristics are learned attributes. Now you can master these skills and behaviours and work towards becoming a super communicator yourself.
Improving your influencing skills is important in helping you to build better rapport and have positive relationships with your clients and colleagues. This fast-paced talk delivered by our expert business speakers helps you to explore and develop your existing influencing skills. Our inspiring keynote speakers will focus on maintaining mental and linguistic flexibility when interpreting and presenting information helping you to become an effective influential leader. Our keynote speakers can adapt this talk to your business needs and requirements if requested.
Our sentiments and feelings towards people are created by our own experiences but we’re not always aware of how those sentiments affect the way we act towards people and make decisions about them. Our engaging keynote speakers will bring to light your unconscious bias in this thought provoking talk: how it works, the affect this has on decision making and most importantly, what you can do about it; making sure you are the inclusive leader you wish to be.