4 techniques to build long-lasting rapport with your colleagues
Parent Post
Do it in-person:Invite a
Do it in-person:
- Invite a colleague to grab a quick lunch or coffee so you have some time to connect.
- When you know somebody has a stressful day or week, stop by their desk with a treat.
Be a decent human
Be a decent human being.
Treat others the way you want to be treated.
In order to build rapport, you need to have trust—and that all starts with the basics of treating people with respect, producing high-quality work, and delivering on your promises.
Real rapport goes beyond
Real rapport goes beyond the surface
Real rapport is about putting in the elbow grease to genuinely connect with the people you work with.
Do that and you’ll have a tighter bond, a comfortable dynamic, and a way easier time getting great work done together.
Do it remotely: Reserve some
Do it remotely:
- Reserve some time at the start of video chats or meetings to connect on a more personal level.
- Send a quick email or instant message to let someone know you’re thinking of them.
- Share a resource that you think could help someone on your team.
Do it in-person: Stop by
Do it in-person:
- Stop by their desk with a small treat to celebrate a recent win or accomplishment.
- Offer a genuine compliment about a job well done.
- Write a quick “thank you” note or email to express your gratitude.
Building rapport doesn’t just
Building rapport doesn’t just happen—it’s something you need to actively work toward.
Here are four different strategies you can try, whether you and your team members are distributed or working side-by-side in the same office.
Do it in-person: Practice active
Do it in-person:
- Practice active listening to ensure you actually understand what’s being communicated before taking action.
- Own your responsibilities, meet your deadlines, and follow through on promises you make to your colleagues.
- Offer to step in and help someone when they’re overwhelmed or struggling with a project or task.
Genuinely check-inAsk yourself this:
Genuinely check-in
Ask yourself this: Are you asking them out of a sense of obligation and politeness? Or are you asking because you’re genuinely curious about how they’re doing?
This tactic for building rapport is about going beyond the general niceties to authentically touch base about how someone is feeling.
Do it remotely: Send a
Do it remotely:
- Send a personalized email or message to offer a compliment or a token of appreciation.
- Talk to your manager about starting a Slack channel specifically designated for peer-to-peer praise and celebrating big and small wins.
- Come up with a fun virtual tradition to recognize achievements and moments.
Go beyond “work-mode”Not everybody
Go beyond “work-mode”
Not everybody will be comfortable opening up and sharing details of their personal lives with the people they work with (and that’s fine too!).
But, for those who are, expressing an active interest in those topics can help you establish and maintain an even deeper rapport.
Prioritize praise and recognitionRecognition
Prioritize praise and recognition
Recognition at work is so often talked about from the top-down.
People want to know when they’re doing well, and hearing that from their own team members can carry a lot of meaning.
There’s one caveat, though: Try to gain an understanding of how someone prefers to receive feedback and recognition before dishing it out.
Do it in-person: Begin meetings
Do it in-person:
- Begin meetings with a funny or lighthearted icebreaker to get everybody comfortable and learn more about each other in the process.
- Make an effort to actually follow up on the personal information that people openly share.
Do it remotely:Start designated
Do it remotely:
- Start designated Slack channels for specific interest groups.
- Create a collaborative playlist that you and your colleagues can all contribute to.
- Find virtual-friendly opportunities to connect.
Do it remotely: Put all
Do it remotely:
- Put all of the above tips into play.
- Keep your microphone on mute when you’re not speaking in meetings.