STRATEGIES
ALL IN WITH TRUST: NEGOTIATE BETTER DEALS, INCREASE CONFIDENCE, AND BUILD BETTER RELATIONSHIPS
Trust is regarded as one of the most critical and essential ingredients in By: Pamela Barnum business, especially M.P.A., J.D. in collaborative Trust Strategist & Nonverbal Communications Expert buyer and supplier relationships like insurance. Unfortunately, trust is eroding at a catastrophic rate around the world. It has become much harder to discern what is and isn’t true. We must work to rebuild trust within our organizations. Businesses communicate trust with their everyday actions. Insurance professionals who communicate trust to their customers, employees, and shareholders build lasting and mutually beneficial relationships. Research confirms that most of our communication is nonverbal and that trust is primarily expressed by what we don’t say. Nonverbal communication, or body language, is an elaborate secret language used by everyone but fully understood by few. Those who are fluent in this secret language build trust and gain influence faster than their competitors.
1. Power posture. Sitting or standing with good posture signals confidence and reliability. Here’s an insider tip; if you’re offered a selection of chairs, choose the straight-backed chair over the comfy sofa to maintain your posture better. 2. Allow silences. There is nothing wrong with a bit of silence, and it doesn’t have to be awkward. Use silences to your advantage. For example, allow a beat in the conversation to show that you listened. Silences allow for consideration, and they show that you’re confident. 3. Impeccable manners. Our nonverbals often convey messages of respect, or a lack thereof. Attending a meeting late could be interpreted as disrespect for the person you’re meeting, or at the very least, that you’re disorganized. Integrity means behaving in a way that is consistent with your values. Communicating integrity through facial expressions and gestures is cost-effective and easy to implement.
Without investing additional time or money, nonverbal techniques that express confidence, integrity, and empathy are used to increase influence and build trust with customers, employees, and stakeholders.
Eye contact is one of the most valuable indicators of integrity because it can signal interest, openness, and honesty. To effectively establish eye contact, the research recommends:
Confidence can be expressed nonverbally in several ways that build trust without appearing brash or arrogant.
1. Use the 50/70 rule. Maintain eye contact for approximately 50% of the time while you’re speaking and 70% of the time while you’re listening.
8 | SUMMER 2021 |
