Best Business Consultants in Bristol

Remove all distractions like emails, phone etc. Think about the place you are meeting in or the platform you are meeting on; make sure the environment is not distracting. (I hate it when I’m talking to someone, and they are looking over my head at the rest of the room. Or you can hear and see them react to incoming emails whilst on a video call.) Maintain eye contact. This is a basic pillar of building rapport. Make sure you are relaxed though, there is no need to stare…that is just creepy. Don’t become defensive in your mind. Keep an open mind. Sometimes when what the person is saying affects us and the business we run, we start to move to a defensive position in our heads. Spot this if it happens and tell yourself to listen first. You need to get all the information you can get to defend against it. So listen first. Don’t interrupt. Bite your tongue, put your hand over your mouth, using physical reminders to not interrupt works a treat. Breath. If there is a pause breathing before you speak can give both parties a moment to reset. The person might not have finished and so its also good to give them some space to check that they have said everything they want to say. Speak less by asking more questions. Ask questions to clarify understanding. Summarize briefly and then give the person the last words to clarify that you have heard them correctly.