Establishing Rapport and Controlling the Session

The Importance of Rapport

You should actively seek to ensure that your relationship with your client is always cordial, yet professional; you have a responsibility to establish rapport.

Rapport is the harmonious connection between two people, which is reflected in the compatibility of their verbal and non-verbal languages, their movements, tone of voice and emotional intensity, among other aspects.

This connection does not necessarily mean establishing a friendship, but creating a bond of trust and mutual understanding.

The quality of this rapport allows communication to be clear, open and frank, without losing the seriousness and transcendence necessary for the process.

Therefore, it is crucial that the first contact conveys reliability and security on your part.

Basic Rules for Establishing Initial Rapport

Although there is no exact formula, a series of basic rules are proposed to facilitate the establishment of rapport in the first contact:

• Active Reception: Go to the door to greet the client, always taking care of your tone of voice and gestures to convey warmth and professionalism.
• Clear Presentation: Introduce yourself by saying your name and confirming your role as a coach.
• Balanced Attitude: Avoid a threatening, demanding or cold attitude, but do not be overly casual or informal. Seek a professional and approachable balance.
• Break the Ice: Start with some casual, neutral comments before jumping right into the subject matter, to relax the initial atmosphere.
• Maintain the Atmosphere: Throughout the session, strive for a warm and relaxed atmosphere, but without excessive joking or irrelevant personal comments (avoiding sensitive topics such as politics, religion, etc.).

Controlling the Development of the Session

It is also important that you, as the coach, control the development of the session. This control has nothing to do with exerting force or dominance over the client.

Rather, it is about skillfully directing the conversation, maintaining focus on the objectives of the session, managing time, and ensuring that the interaction is productive.

It involves employing the ability to motivate the client and get them to respond to your questions in depth, going beyond monosyllables such as "yes" or "no."

It is about guiding the flow of the session