Interpersonal Communication: Being Approachable

Course details

Walking into a meeting surrounded by unknown faces, going to conferences, attending work events, starting a new job, and even going to social gatherings can be daunting, especially if you don't know anybody who will be there. Perhaps you worry about being ignored or not connecting with anyone and dread that awkward feeling of standing alone, off to the side. Do you wonder why people seem to be drawn to certain individuals in the room? Those individuals probably faced the same feelings of uncertainty entering the room as you did, but the difference may be that they appear to be more approachable than you do. Approachability involves conveying your willingness to reach out and invite others in by initiating contact, making yourself available, and building rapport. This course is designed to give you an understanding of how to build skills to become more approachable. You'll learn about the benefits of being approachable, as well as some techniques you can use to enhance your ability to reach out and invite others in. You'll also learn about putting people at ease when you're communicating and building rapport using skills such as listening, harmonizing, and sharing to ensure that people see how approachable you are. Materials designed to support blended learning activities aligned with this course are available from the Resources Page.

• recognize the benefits of enhancing your approachability
• recognize how to enhance your approachability by reaching out and inviting others in
• recognize how to put people at ease when you're communicating
• recognize ways to build rapport