Home > Work > The Art of Connection: 8 Ways to Enrich Rapport & Kinship for Positive Impact (The Art of First Impressions for Positive Impact, #6)
1 " Indiscretion and poor judgment not only can destroy a positive first impression, they also can have lasting negative consequences for which there is no return. Even years into the future, moments of indiscretion in the past can come back to bite you when you least expect it. "
― Susan C. Young , The Art of Connection: 8 Ways to Enrich Rapport & Kinship for Positive Impact (The Art of First Impressions for Positive Impact, #6)
2 " The best safeguards you have are to live with dignity, love, and self-respect, and to make choices you can be proud of in the first place. Even as an adult, I still think to myself—what would my mother say? "
3 " Be a Discovery Expert. Be inquisitive. A wonderful way to get to know someone is simply by asking questions. The more you ask, the more you can learn . . . about people, work, life. "
4 " So, what if you are not naturally funny? Don’t get discouraged. Do your research, gather ideas, and find your fun. Seek ways to laugh. Not only will doing this provide you with new material for making a great first impression, but laughter will bring you personal delight and satisfaction. Putting a smile on someone’s face is one of the best gifts you can deliver. "
5 " Trust and rapport are essential for moving a positive first impression forward to create a meaningful and lasting connection. They are the heartbeat of business, the backbone for high performing teams, and the secret sauce for healthy relationships. "
6 " I, however, typically trust people until they prove me wrong. As an energy-sensitive person with a highly intuitive nature, I pick up on clues as to whom I can trust or should be wary of. I will take my chances and continue living with my heart wide-open. Having faith in humanity and expecting the best from others improves my happiness and well-being. "
7 " What are those behaviors that make us take pause to think twice about a person’s trustworthiness? Guarded body language, lack of eye contact, nervous fidgeting, interrupting, speaking ill of others, lying, arrogance, and gossip to name a few. "
8 " Trust and rapport are listed in that order because without first building trust, healthy rapport is not possible. "
9 " We all know that person—the one who wakes up on the right side of the bed; the one who surely consumed a bowl of sunshine for breakfast; the one who asks how you’re doing and means it. How do they emanate that much light? How can we also appear more friendly and personable? How can we be that light for others? "
10 " If you want to impress someone with how much you know, the best thing you can do is talk to them about . . . them. People typically love to share their stories and are delighted when others show genuine interest in hearing about: their families, what they do for fun, their opinions, where they are going on vacation, their happiest memories, their hobbies, or even where they grew up. "
11 " When you are genuinely interested, your authenticity reveals itself in your body language, attitude, facial gestures, eye contact, and overall responsiveness. "
12 " Animation. Enthusiasm. Sincerity. Excitement. Acceptance. Have I just described your family dog? You’re happy to see him because he is so happy to see you. It is no wonder dogs are called “Man’s Best Friend” with attributes like that. Their natural propensity for joy makes them among the most personable and friendly creatures on the planet. Human beings could learn a thing or two from their eager and earnest approach to life. "
13 " People who exude these qualities are treasures indeed—not only to the friends they make and strangers they meet, but to the companies who employ them. "
14 " Think about the impact you have on the people around you every day. How do you interact with them? Is your presence uplifting or are do you bring a dark cloud? "
15 " We can choose how we present ourselves to the world—and we should. From a sales perspective, who would you rather work with? Someone who is friendly and amiable or someone who is stiff and unyielding? "
16 " Rather than trying hard to be interesting and focusing on yourself, turn your attention to filling that need in others. "
17 " Communicating on the surface can be easy. But when you want to dig deeper and connect with more profound impact, you’ll need to achieve greater understanding, especially when others have personalities, experiences, needs, and preferences different from your own. "
18 " Expressing and demonstrating genuine interest for people can connect you on levels you may never have imagined. "
19 " Strengthen your first impressions by making the intentional effort to first earn people’s trust, and rapport will naturally follow. "
20 " Fine-tune your rebounding and resiliency skills. Teach yourself different ways to stay mentally in the moment by projecting a friendly and positive vibe in everything you do. Remember, your vibe attracts your tribe. So be conscientious of your impact—it’s powerful! "