Nervous. Excited. Worried. Keen. Terrified.
Big feelings.
The cohort of Samaritans volunteer were feeling a jumble of big emotions at their first training session this morning.
It’s totally understandable.
After all, in about 6 weeks, they will be on the phone with callers who are struggling with emotional distress, who may be suicidal.
They may be going through some of life’s harshest crisis – abuse, grief, loss, pain, war…
How do we go on week after week, listening and supporting people during our shifts, and not say the wrong thing that may trigger someone to take that step of ending their life?
The Fear of saying the wrong thing is real.
It can be crippling.
Let’s strip back all the multi-layer meanings, expectations, obligations and assumptions which may be overtones or undertones within any conversation…
… right down to the foundation of what makes communication flow:
Empathy.
Tone.
Warmth.
You need to build Rapport.
You need to be Actively Listening to build Rapport.
Rapport is the oil that fuels the engine of communication.
In order to build Rapport, you need to be aware of HOW you communicate.
How you come across is based on your tone, how warm you are, and the empathy in your words and your vibe.
Do you sound kind?
Are you rushing them?
Are you really listening?
What’s your body language (non-verbals) doing?
Are you present?
Before we get to how we deal with the callers and the variety of situations and reasons that brought them to us … how are we coming across in the first instance that would put the other person at ease?
I believe that understanding how to build Rapport is a fundamental skill in life.
This group of new trainees will be in for a roller coaster journey for the next 6 weeks as they learn the skills of being a Listener.
It won’t be easy, but it will be incredibly rewarding, and I feel so lucky to be part of their journey. ❤
What’s the first thing you do to build rapport with the people you meet? In the days where in-person meetings were the norm, I know that
🍩 = Rapport!
😁
How do you do that in the remote world nowadays to get the same effect?!