For most of us, it’s been a while since we’ve greeted others in social settings. We’re going on four months of being cooped up at home during the Shelter-In-Place or slowly going out to a different world, required to stay away from people, hiding our smiles under masks.
Here’s a greeting reminder. Maybe it’s time to up the ante on our social skills, create new habits, and make someone’s day brighter – including our own!
In a little book called, How To Make People Like You (In 90 Seconds Or Less), author Nicholas Boothman describes the four best ways to connect, including attitude, synchronization, conversation, and sensory preferences. These can happen quickly as you meet together, whether it’s someone you’ve known a long time or just met.
Here are reminders as we slowly journey back to a world of face-to-face connection:
OPEN ATTITUDE
Deciding beforehand to have a great attitude will direct your body language to be more open as you connect with others. Stand facing the other person with your heart toward him or her and don’t cross your arms. Express a willingness to listen and engage.
EYE CONTACT
Be first with your eye contact. You eyes will reflect your positive attitude.
SMILE
The next natural step is to smile. Smiling most often all happens with eye contact. Remember the importance of all the non verbal cues that lead up to your connection, meeting, and engagement with someone.
GREETING
If you’re meeting someone for the first time, an upbeat “Hi!” with your name can break the ice. Most often, the other person will reciprocate. Take the lead in greeting: say “Hi!” or “Hello!” in a positive tone as you approach someone.
LEAN IN
There are a bunch of other things you can do – check your watch, look at your phone (a huge no-no), or look past the person to a seemingly more important agenda item or person. If we want to truly connect, we need to lean in toward the person – not in an awkward, invade-personal-space kind of way, but as a diligent acknowledgement of the priority of your conversation and connection.
Now you’re ready to establish rapport by finding common ground to start building a relationship.
When you focus on others with a great attitude and heartfelt greetings, connections come back to you, better than they were!
Pick up a copy of this little book here!