Building Instant Rapport in a Business Meeting or Interview

You sit down to an important business meeting or a new job interview. In addition to speaking your best and acting agreeable, there is a body language technique that will give you a one-up over the competition. This process is called mirroring and it is explained briefly below.

Mirroring is simple. In a subtle way (it won't work if the other person is aware you are doing it), copy whatever the other person does. If she crosses your legs, you cross your legs. If he puts one elbow up on the desk, you do the same. Not immediately or it will seem like you are being weird. But do it within a minute or two of the other person.

On a subconscious level, this says to the other person, "You and I have similar values. We connect on a deep level -- so deep, in fact, that our body gestures are similar."

You'll notice salespeople in show rooms use this technique. When a nearly convinced buyer nods his head, the salesman mimics this gesture. If the buyer places an arm up on the roof of the car, the salesman does the same -- or something similar enough.

You can also use the subtle nod during a business meeting. Do this when you are proposing an idea and you want to receive favorable feedback on it. Just as you finish explaining your proposal, nod your head slightly about three or four times. This should be a small nod -- not an obvious, over-the-top "yes" nod.

You will notice much higher results in your sales meetings and personal life (asking someone out on a date, for example) if you use the nod technique. It makes you seem subconsciously "agreeable" to the other person and conveys confidence.

On the other hand, you have probably seen a speaker who shakes his or her head while delivering a proposal. This means the person is not entirely confident about what she is saying -- and she will face resistance from others as a result.

David Seaman is an author and media personality.