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Instant Rapport By Michael Brooks ( Grand Central Publishing )
Release Date: 1990-05-01
Average Customer Rating:
List Price: $14.99
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Product Description
The national bestseller that shows how anyone can master the proven scientific techniques of neurolinguistic programming (NLP) and forge instant relationships, instant chemistry, instant intimacy at will--now with a special chapter on sexual rapport! Trains the reader to control others' perceptions, dissolve communication barriers, create more intimate relationships, negotiate more effectively, and more.
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 Only a Very Minor Delve into the Topic ( xenocrates-x )
Instant Rapport offers a light overview of some theoretical manners of relating to people that provides little overall content and nothing new or profound. Because Brooks broaches the subject of building rapport and overviews some key factors, this book is not completely without value. However, there are far better books available on the topic and a good start would be How to Win Friends and Influence People or any number of sales books.
Building rapport with people and identifying human traits and causes that affect human interaction is not an overly difficult science, but it is vast and this book merely touches the tip of the iceberg.
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 Completely unfounded ( onyx_shard )
This book has a few worthwile basic ideas, but those could be summarized on a cocktail napkin and do not necessitate an entire book. The majority of this book discusses how people are divided into three types - visual, auditory or kinesthetic - and how to appeal to or persuade to them accordingly given the language they understand. While "see the world through your negotiating partner's eyes" is a good concept to know, this book makes far-encompassing claims in unrealistic, idealistic scenarios, does not back up those claims with data, and assumes a stance of "this is all you need to know to work magic in a negotiating situation or to get someone to really love you instantly based on communication.
I hear Brooks is a communication scientist; I very much hope that his other books contain science to back themselves up, because this one sure doesn't. With some data, I would be more inclined to accept these far-reaching theories as credible - but only slightly.
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 Rapport is Essential to Success ( salesgravy )
Whether or not you buy into the NLP methodology there are some key take-aways from Instant Rapport. A key point Michael Brooks makes early in this book is that people who lack the skill for building and maintaining rapport live a miserable life. Most importantly "Rapport is experienceing the world through the same portal as the person you are communicating with. It's speaking the same language..."
Although the book is a little long winded and in some cases a bit remedial, this point, "speak the same language", is artfully taught. Learning and practicing this single concept will have an amazing impact on your life.
This book however, should be but one component of your rapport building library. Although, Instant Rapport is not on the same level as "How to Win Friends and Influence People, the best endorsement for this book is its staying power. Published nearly 20 years ago, Instant Rapport is still going strong.
Jeb Blount
Author of PowerPrinciples: Do You Have The Winning Edge?
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Clear - Concise - To the Point ( kyleevans )
Instant Rapport goes right to the heart of the matter without all the stories. It provide clear exercises and examples that make it easy to learn these skills. Short, and Concise.
I highly recommend it if having a positive impact is something that you are interested in.
K
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Not practical and overgeneralizations throughout ( saerion )
Mr. Brooks talks about achieving instant rapport with someone. Although this book talks about the very basics of NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) since it has been written in 1989 when NLP was fairly new, there are couple of basic stradegies I found useful:
1. Talking in forms of the other's representation types (Visual, Kinesthetic, Auditory)
We are either one of the three types, and we tend to talk more in types of those languages. (ex. I "see" what you mean vs. I "hear" what you mean)
Simply recongnize them in a conversation and talk in that context of language.
2. Mirroring
In order to establish rapport, subtly mirror their physical behaviors (ex. hand gestures, crossing legs)
3. Anchoring
When someone is in high emotional state, anchor that feeling by planting a signal on his/her body (squeezeing elbows, wrist)
Other methods Brooks talks about did not seem very practical to me (such as using specific questions such as "Can you remember a time when you have been totally attracted to someone?" leading to "What was the first thing you noticed, looks, sound, or feeling?" to "What was the second thing you noticed..." to "What was the third?" to supposedly tap into someone's minds. Seems kind of impractical to use in a conversational context because nobody talks like this and the subject is likely to feel strange.
Overall, gives you a gist of the world of NLP, which can be a very powerful tool if studied carefully. However, there are other more modern books out on NLP now since studies have advanced. If interested, check out Tony Robbins' Unlimited Power if you want to learn how to control your mind and feelings as well as rapport with others in greater detail.
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