Body Language Exposed, Part 2  (Second of a series)  In my last post, I shared with you the essentials of reading and understanding body language. We learned that in order to maximise the usefulness of body language, you have to learn how to read it in its proper context and you also have to observe all possible signals from your subject. In today’s post we are going to discuss some practical ways that you can apply concepts in body language to enhance rapport with your subject and instantly increase your persuasive power through nonverbal statements.    How close should yo ..read more

Body Language Exposed, Part 1  (First of a series)  How can we use body language to influence others?   Body language or nonverbal language accounts for more than 50% of what we express when we interact with others. Intimate knowledge of body language can help you achieve two things:  You will be able to align your verbal message with positive and open body language. This will improve your overall projection as an authoritative and influential speaker. Your subject will perceive this strategic projection and he/she will be more willing to trust you during the interaction ..read more

Advanced Rapport-Building Methods, Part 3 (Third of a series)  In our last blog post we discovered that a great way to make a good first impression is by using a technique called “matching and mirroring.”  Matching and mirroring utilises our natural ability to adapt other people’s vocal and nonverbal signals so we can harmonise with our subjects more easily.  We also learned that in some instances, matching and mirroring won’t work immediately because a subject may be too preoccupied with the things that are going on in his life. Again, the solution is simple: keep trying and en ..read more

Advanced Rapport-Building Methods, Part 2   (Second of a series)  How is communication influenced by rapport?  Neurolinguistic programming emphasises the need to elicit and use feedback throughout the interaction to get the best possible results when communicating with someone.  Rapport or harmony-building is the process of eliminating differences between the speaker and subject with the intention of making the speaker more efficient and persuasive.    What are the channels of communication?  There is an old yet pervasive misconception that the words that we ..read more

Advanced Rapport-Building Methods, Part 1  (First of a series)  How can you persuade or influence others through rapport?  In the world of neuro-linguistic programming, the true measure of a communicator’s success is based on how well he persuades or influences his subject.  Why? Because the main purpose of all human communication is influence, in its various manifestations. When a person speaks to another person, he does so with the intention of earning the person’s trust or at the very least, his agreement. All these outcomes can be examined under the rubric of influence ..read more

How Communication Works What is the communication cycle? When a person uses verbal language to interact with another person, a communication cycle is initiated. The mere use of language does not constitute communication. If a person was speaking nonstop in a room without anyone to hear him, no communication is taking place. Genuine communication requires a speaker and a subject. When you are analyzing the effectiveness of an interaction, you can measure the impact of each person involved by switching the roles of speaker and subject as needed. When a speaker is addressing a group of people, th ..read more

Strategies for Intelligent Goal-Setting How can you create better and more achievable goals?  Setting goals is the first step in creating the dynamic blueprint of a truly successful life. Goals are the coordinates that help build your map – without them, you can get sidetracked and delayed indefinitely.  The real difficulty with setting goals is the fact that not all goals are created equal and having the wrong ones in place can get you in trouble.  The goals that we set for ourselves are products of our values and beliefs. In order to create worthy and achievable goals there ha ..read more

(Second of a series)  How can your mind help you succeed?  In our last post we talked about the outcome frame and the first step to shift to this newer and more productive mental process. We learned that the mind needs conscious guidance from us if we want to it to be helpful and effective in solving problems.  Goal-setting is actually a sequential process of solving different problems. For example, if your goal is to lose weight, you will encounter many challenges before you attain your target weight.  Weight-loss challenges are problems that require adequate solutions. Go ..read more

Creating an Outcome-Centered Mind, Part 1  (First of a series)  How can you train the mind to focus on outcomes? The human brain is a truly amazing analytical tool. At any point in time, our brains are constantly filtering mundane information and picking out sensory inputs that are important enough to reach our conscious and subconscious minds. Our RAS, or reticular activating system, is always in the background of our minds, sifting through ordinary sensory input and signals that can spell the difference between survival and mortal danger. Our brains are equipped with everything it ..read more

When Believing Means Seeing  Why do people see the world differently?  Imagine this for a brief moment: a road accident took place one clear afternoon. You were standing near a pedestrian crossing when the accident took place. Three other people saw the accident, too. When the police came to investigate what happened, you were asked by an officer if you could give an eyewitness account.  You give your story and the officer verifies a few details by asking you to recount the events again. He tallies your story along with a previous eyewitness account he received a few minutes ear ..read more