Why do we mirror people?
If we want to influence others, mirroring can be a very useful tactic. We mirror other people unconsciously when we like them. So if we are standing in a meeting we will mirror another person’s body language, how they stand, their leg positions, their hand movements.
But why would we do this consciously? Take a step back. People like people like themselves. This includes in their views, interests, dress, mannerisms, words used, accents, heritage, education, experiences, professionalism, expertise etc. If we help another person think that we are like them through conscious mirroring, they will think that we are like them. If they think we are like them it will lead them to be more predisposed to liking us. Well that’s the theory. Of course in human behaviour nothing is for certain, but this is one method of increasing the chances.
By mirroring we can influence other people’s opinion of us. This is a very practical tip which can be employed in every meeting and interaction with clients and colleagues.