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BUILDING TRUST AND RECOGNIZING INNER DRIVERS

Hermann Rock (2016) notes that trust is further fostered by em-
ploying “active listening statements,” such as:

• Minimal encouragements like “Ah,” “Ooh,” or “Uh-huh”

• Mirroring phrases or sentence fragments

• Paraphrasing the content
• Labeling emotions expressed

• Summarizing both the content and emotions shared

Thus, you utilize the full range of active listening techniques. With
the advanced approach of this method, you take an additional im-
portant step: you engage deeply with the feelings and experiences of
your interlocutor, demonstrating compassion and empathy. This is
where tactical empathy comes into play—showing the person you’re
conversing with that you acknowledge their perspective and might
feel similarly in their situation.

A typical empathetic statement might be: “Ah, now I understand
you. If I were in your shoes, I might see it that way too.” Achieving
this level of understanding requires a keen grasp of the other person’s
communication style. It’s essential to interact in a way that resonates
with them to begin forging trust. Approaching from your own view-
point can lead to missteps and disconnection. In the fourth chapter,
we will explore a method to master this approach.

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