“Modeling for others a sincerely positive and encouraging countenance will not only enrich their lives, it can foster trust and appreciation for you. This subtle technique of mirroring can help others feel compatibility with you and lead them to feel better about themselves. A win for everybody!”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“5 Tips for Mirroring Others
1. Body language. When they smile, you smile. When they lean back in their chair, you lean back in your chair. When they cross their legs or fold their arms, you do the same.
2. Vocabulary or specific words. Notice their language and the words they choose and use—their keywords, expressions, expletives, or phrases.
3. Communication style. People receive, process, and deliver information in different ways. Notice whether someone is results driven or relaxed, emotional or pragmatic, talkative or observant. Recognizing their style will enable you to adapt your style to theirs to build rapport and improve communication.
4. Vocal style.
a. Speech rate—If they are talking fast, you talk fast. If they are talking slowly, you talk slowly. Consider rhythm, pace, and tempo.
b. Volume—If they are speaking quietly and softly, match their volume.
c. Tone—Mirror their emotion, tone, and pitch. You can even seek to mirror their grammar and dialect, as long as it is discreet and respectful.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“As we explore this valuable non-verbal language, please note that these principles do not apply in many cultures around the world. In some cultures, direct eye contact may offend, affront, violate, or threaten.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Have you heard that a smile is the shortest distance between people? I love that! There is nothing like a genuine smile to create a first impression with positive impact.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“A genuine smile is inviting, contagious, encouraging, and brings joy into the world. It instantly tells others that you are glad to see them, that they are important and you are approachable.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Accompanied with good eye contact, a smile serves as an immediate icebreaker to warm up relations and turn a stranger into a friend.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Smiling is truly one of the most generous gifts you can give to another. You never know when your smile may inspire the sad, encourage the hopeless, heal a heart, or change someone's world for the better.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Smiling reduces blood pressure by lowering the stress-inducing hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. As my mother, who is now in her eighties, navigates the challenges of aging, her mantra has become, “Keep moving and keep smiling.” She has observed the rapid decline of her friends who haven’t. She is striving to stay strong, happy, and vital; her desire to smile is helping her to live a healthier, more satisfying, and longer life.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Research has shown that smiling releases endorphins—the happy hormones that shift your physiology for improved well-being. When you smile and your eyes crinkle, your body releases chemicals that change the chemistry of your brain, lifting spirits, and reducing pain. Even when it is hard to smile and you are forcing it, positive changes take place in your physiology.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“As the saying goes, "Smile and the world smiles with you, cry and you cry alone.” Smiling is a universal symbol of happiness that transcends language and communication challenges.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“A smile is one of the most powerful and important body language cues we share with others—and as such a heartfelt emotion, it's impossible to express its effect on others in words.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“No matter your age, a smile makes you look and feel better. People spend billions of dollars every year to get pumped, pulled, tucked, and tweaked in hopes of being more beautiful. But there is nothing like a genuine smile to transform your appearance and provide an instant facelift.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Approachable people . . .
1. Use body language to their advantage.
2. Are open-minded to new people and new experiences.
3. Encourage others to feel better about themselves.
4. Are willing to be told not what they want to hear, but what they need to hear.
5. Provide an inviting aura that is warm and comforting.
6. Realize that authenticity and transparency earn trust.
7. Intuitively tune into the feelings and needs of others.
8. Are emotionally steady and respond appropriately when they sense awkwardness or discomfort in others.
9. Radiate happiness and curbs cynicism.
10. Provide a safe environment for others to express themselves.
11. Make others feel valued and appreciated.
12. Listen and consider other people’s viewpoints and opinions.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Expect good things from people; they feel it. You never know who you are going to meet, and projecting approachability will open doors of opportunity for you that you may not have discovered otherwise.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Consider how others may feel about you before, during, and after talking. Are you projecting an attitude that results in others feeling accepted and welcome? Are you encouraging people to speak and engage with you through your approachability?”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“An Unapproachable person may be exhibiting behaviors which are . . .
• Tense and prickly.
• Remote and preoccupied.
• Cold and distant.
• Withholding of acknowledgement or response.
• Apathetic and disconnected.
• Preoccupied and distracted.
• Intimidating.
• Snobbish or cliquish.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“We are comforted when a person, place, or business is warm and inviting. Making us feel this way increases the likelihood that we will want to learn more, do business with them, or pursue a meaningful interaction.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“The consistency of their moods and emotions creates a predictable and consistent outcome that can be reassuring in our turbulent times. You know you can depend on approachable people to be well balanced, accepting, and empathetic to the needs and feelings of others.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Approachable people are “straight-up.” It is comforting to know exactly what to expect when you see them. What you see is what you get!”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Being a keen observer, I would think to myself, who is approachable? Who is someone I'd like to know? Who is putting out welcoming vibes?”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Having moved from Florida to Wisconsin, it has been an interesting exercise for me to attend networking events where I did not know a soul. I would silently scan the room to see who was approachable and who was not. It was those individuals who put out the approachable vibes whom I would be magnetized toward to engage in conversation.”
“Are you being approachable when you are around new people? Ever not know what to say? Simply smile when you make eye contact. This is a subliminal invitation to help others feel safe—allowing a conversation to follow naturally.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“As humans, we are all insecure to a certain degree, and we don't want to risk looking stupid, being rejected, or feeling awkward.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“An approachable person intuitively knows how to set new acquaintances at ease and create a safety net for them to be vulnerable and authentic.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Welcome" is a word to use often! Leaders who maintain an open-door policy inspire trust, teamwork, and healthier communication. They are more likely to earn respect, gain buy-in, and foster collaboration.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“When individuals feel comfortable approaching their leaders, their confidence to share ideas, discuss problems, and offer suggestions is strengthened. It emboldens them to take personal ownership and perform at higher levels within the organization.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Unfortunately, unapproachable leaders create a tense environment that may prevent their people from bringing their best strengths and talents or challenges and solutions forward.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Trying to engage with an unapproachable person can lead to embarrassment, alienation, and resistance. Why would we set ourselves up for that kind of pain and failure? It’s no wonder that people may avoid them—the risk of rejection is too great.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“There are new habits you can adopt starting NOW that make you approachable and encourage other people to engage with you.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“The approachable individuals are the first ones that I introduce myself to because they make me feel emotionally safe.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Ask yourself and become more aware—are you . . .
• Speaking poorly of others in judgment, gossip, and intolerance?
• Looking for, dwelling on, and obsessing over the negative?
• Being grumpy, negative, and infecting others with your bad attitude or victim mentality?”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Mirroring is a powerful neuro-linguistic programming technique that can be used to bond with others, build rapport, and reach mutual understanding more quickly. You may already be using it instinctively without even being aware.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Mirroring is simply the process of discreetly matching and mirroring the subtle behaviors and qualities of the person with whom you are connecting. It's a form of behavioral reflection that unconsciously reveals, "We're more alike than we are different.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Mirroring is especially helpful when our differences may divide. Think of the times when you have made a diligent effort to speak in another person’s native language to communicate and connect with comfort. By doing this, you are extending a considerate courtesy to meet them where they are, thus removing barriers and improving engagement.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Coordinating your gestures with someone’s subtle behaviors, can help you gain understanding, realize comfortable compatibility, and develop mutual trust.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Why Does Mirroring Work? Scientific research suggests ‘mirroring’ techniques works because of the mirror-neurons which are fired in our brains when we both perceive and take action. When we observe someone doing something, we may feel as if we are having the same experience.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“When you see someone smile, does it naturally make you want to smile back? When you are irritable, do you find that people mirror your irritability? When someone yawns around you, do automatically do the same? When you hear someone celebrating, do you feel inclined to join in and celebrate too? Your responses are not forced, but instinctual and empathetic.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Mirroring provides social cues through body language and behavior which enable us to develop more empathy and understanding for others.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Who are we the most comfortable with? People who are the most like us! The “Similarity-Attraction Hypothesis” (Newcomb, 1956) found that similar (real or perceived) personalities are a major determinant of our likability and friendship choices. It is simply human to gravitate toward people like us. This tribal inclination runs the gamut across demographics of age, ethnicity, culture, education, religion, and even personality style. Mirroring will enable you to find ways to create the comfort of familiarity through similarity.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Since we know people like to do business with people who are most like themselves, consider this: Excellent sales people understand that "matching and mirroring" another person’s body language is a powerful technique and subliminal way to develop trust, build rapport, and make their clients more comfortable and engaging. Subtly mirroring the postures, gestures, and body language of your client inspires a kinship of commonality.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Early in my sales career, various sales trainers taught our teams how to use matching and mirroring to build rapport and earn trust with our clients. When done well, it would inevitably help us improve customer service and closing ratios. It was not encouraged as a deceptive sales practice to manipulate, but rather a subtle way to make a great first impression and connect on a meaningful level.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“By mirroring, speaking, and moving in tandem with my clients, I provided them with a sense of familiar comfort and ease which helped us work well together. When they leaned forward, I would lean forward. When they crossed their arms, I would cross my arms. When they began speaking slowly and quietly, I would do the same. These subtle actions help to us to communicate more effectively.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Like everything else in our world, we too are energy. Each one of us is an energy being releasing our own distinctive energy signature that is perceptible to others by way of our choices, perceptions, behaviors, attitudes, and physical cues.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Energy is contagious and infectious and whether it is the good kind or the bad kind—other people feel it.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“One of the most compelling things about you is the energy you put forth—whether it is positive, negative, or neutral. And that is only the beginning.”
Source: The Art of Preparation: 8 Ways to Plan with Purpose & Intention for Positive Impact
“The way you walk, talk, stand, and carry yourself sends messages to others that can attract or repel, encourage or discourage, and impress or depress.”
Source: The Art of Preparation: 8 Ways to Plan with Purpose & Intention for Positive Impact
“Using your body language to your advantage can not only improve how others perceive you, but can raise your own levels of confidence, competence, and self-esteem.”
Source: The Art of Preparation: 8 Ways to Plan with Purpose & Intention for Positive Impact
“Being mindful of your body movement, facial expressions, voice tone, gestures, orientation, postures, and touch will help you project personal excellence for transforming your communications with others.”
Source: The Art of Preparation: 8 Ways to Plan with Purpose & Intention for Positive Impact
“We live in a universe made up of energy. The energy that binds, as it whirls and swirls physical atoms, exists at varying levels of vibration and frequency.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact
“Science proves that what appears to be solid is simply moving at a slower rate. Whereas, what is moving, grooving, and flowing, has a higher rate of vibration. We as humans work the same way.”
Source: The Art of Body Language: 8 Ways to Optimize Non-Verbal Communication for Positive Impact