Meeting someone for the first time is the best moment to start building trust. A useful habit is to go into every new conversation asking one question. How can I build trust with this person?
Be open. A warm expression and a smile go a long way, but openness also means giving something of yourself. A little about your background, career or family, whatever feels relevant in the moment, gives the other person something to connect with.
Make it about them. Trust grows when people can see you’re genuinely interested in them. Ask plenty of open questions, while taking care that the conversation doesn’t start to feel like an interview.
Look for connection. Listen to their answers and share something of your own that links to what they’ve said. Whether you turn out to be very similar or very different, emotional intelligence and empathy help turn the exchange into common ground.
Show a little vulnerability. Admitting a mistake or a weakness shows you’re not pretending to be perfect, and it helps people feel safe with you.
Without trust, there is no relationship
The faster two people build trust, the faster they connect and start working well together. Before your next first meeting, think about which behaviours and words will help that person trust you.