From the course: Communication Foundations (2018)

When you socialize in professional settings

From the course: Communication Foundations (2018)

When you socialize in professional settings

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- Many of our viewers tell us that socializing in professional settings left them feeling a bit awkward or uncomfortable. Yet working lunches, moments before meetings and water cooler chats are a great opportunity to build rapport and cultivate trust. A Harvard Business Review article measuring likeability versus strength in leaders has this great quote. "Before people decide what they think of your message, "they decide what they think of you." Here are some tips that work well and help you exude warmth and confidence. Smile authentically. A genuine smile involves a considerable amount of facial muscles compared to a polite grimace. Stand or sit tall. Strong posture and a steady gaze tell everyone around you that you are competent. Minimize fidgeting. Stillness means calmness. Practice being quiet with your gestures and your face. You want to be expressive, but don't overdo it. Mine for connections. When you don't know the person you're trying to connect with, talk about the external environment like the weather, a current event, or a common context that you're in together, like striking up a conversation with a stranger in the airport shuttle that doesn't have heat or air conditioning. If you know the person better, initiate conversation with something a little bit more personal. Whatever your topic choice, keep your comments positive. It's tempting to make small talk by griping about a recent management decision or another colleague. It's easy to commiserate on negative situations, but it's never a good idea to build rapport on that foundation. Move the conversation away from surface level topics by asking some open-ended questions and get the person to talk about himself. - Hey Jake, how was the game last night? - Hey, I can barely walk today, but it went well. - Are you competing next weekend? - You know, we're not sure yet. - We're waiting for the announcement later today. - Well, you guys have been doing awesome this season. I have a feeling you'll win next week. - (chuckles) Thanks. We will see. - Nice, Amanda built rapport very well. Now in the toolkit video up next, I'll share some practical exercises that you can use to sharpen your socializing skills.

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