Mirroring

Photo by Михаил Секацкий on Unsplash

While going through training to become a representative for Aid Association for Lutherans (AAL, which merged with Lutheran Brotherhood and became Thrivent Financial), one thing I learned about human behavior that was helpful for the sales process was a practice known as mirroring.

 

Subconsciously, if you are talking with someone and, if you're agreeing with the conversation, you are probably in alignment. If they are holding their left wrist with their right hand, resting them in their lap - you might be too.

 

As an experiment, change your position and see when the person matches your position. When they do, you are connecting. It doesn't have to be a close friend for it to work, give it a try.

 

We do it in other ways, too. As a member of a team, sports or otherwise, there are things we do that are done the same as everyone else. One reason chain restaurants succeed is because customers can count on a McDonald's hamburger to taste the same no matter which store they enter. 

 

As we get older, there are times when we hear words or phrases our parents once said coming out of our mouth. It's probably shocking, but it demonstrates their influence.

 

For better or worse, we generally live and act in agreement with what we believe. I look and act like people who are fans of the Packers, Brewers, Bucks, and Badgers. As an employee, I look like and act like my colleagues. As my parents' son, I carry myself like they did. There are similarities to others in the family from siblings to grandparents; cousins, aunts, and uncles.

People who have religious beliefs, or don't, are likely to reflect their faith or unbelief, in how they live. As a Christian, I want to live a life that shows my belief in Jesus as my Savior. As a sinner, I fall short. Forgiven, I pray others see the reflection of Jesus' love.