Although mirroring someone’s communication style in an initial conversation may seem unusual, it can do a great deal in forming an immediate connection with the person you are trying to communicate with. Rather than trying to counteract your partner in their topic and style, communicating in a harmonious way can be extremely effective on a personal and business level.
Mirroring is an effective technique to help establish rapport with the person you are trying to communicate with. Although it is not solely responsible for breaking the ice and completely diminishing a person’s defenses; mirroring a person’s communication style can absolutely allow you to increase your effectiveness throughout the conversation. Communicating with a person who is using a mirroring communication technique makes it next to impossible to dislike them. This specific type of technique is extremely useful in business situations of all types, and can be used to better communicate with people you’ve just met, people you want to make a good impression with, etc. By using this technique, you will not only enhance your communication skills in general, you will also begin to notice people will feel more of a connection with you that becomes essential throughout the business industry.
The first step of mirroring communication is to break down the barrier; people like people who are like them. If the person is soft-spoken, it is more effective to speak and communicate on their level, therefore increasing their level of comfort and allowing you to communicate with them in a more conscious way. While the unconscious mind is being hit with 2-4 million bits of information per second, the conscious mind can only process around 134 bits at a time, in chunks of 7-9 bite-size pieces. By using a basic mirroring technique, the person you are speaking with will focus more attention on what you are saying, rather than their surroundings or distractions around them. Mirroring your partner can be achieved by copying speech patterns, body language, pace, tempo, tone, volume and vocabulary style. By using these tactics to make your partner feel more comfortable, you are instantly achieving a level of comfort in them that will make it easier to achieve the results you want.
In general, people fear the unknown. When someone sees another person who is their extreme counterpart, they wonder about them, and likely feel a little intimidated. Mirroring creates an unconscious effort to destroy that intimidation, and create a feeling of like-mindedness that is helpful in all situations.
Ryan Lockhart is an entrepreneur who has been heavily involved in personal development over the past 10 years. He uses strategies learned from Tony Robbins, Steve Linder and Keith Cunningham to maximize his team’s performance. Having honed his skills while attaining his NLP Master Strategist designation from Steve Linder’s SRI University, Ryan utilizes mirroring as an effective tool to help create and increase his rapport with team members and clientele. By using these techniques, he is able to enhance his ability to make more connections, and build his business by forging great relationships, based largely on first impressions.
