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The Art of Mirroring
(Subconscious Connection)

We naturally mimic the people we connect with; it's not manners, it's biology. Mirror neurons fire without us even trying, syncing our tone, pace, and body language to whomever we're with. Here's where it's powerful: we can take this from a subconscious reaction to an intentional tool. Today, let's break down how to 'mirror' someone on purpose out of a genuine desire to make them feel connected, informed, and safe.
   7:16 Watch Time [Week 21 from the Weekly upSKILL series]
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 Real Help 

Solve these 'people problems'

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For upSKILLers:

  • Talking to every person or patient the same way regardless of their personality or energy
  • Missing the nonverbal cues that tell you a patient needs a different pace, tone, or vocabulary
  • Feeling like a connection with certain patients (or people) just doesn't click, without knowing why
  • Remembering that connection is a skill you can create on purpose, not something you either have with someone or don't
  • Reading a patient's tone, pace, and body language and reflecting it to build instant comfort and trust
  • Using the same awareness to connect faster with teammates, family, and people in your personal life too

For Leaders:

  • Team members using a one-size-fits-all approach to patients without realizing it
  • Patients feeling unheard or not seen because the delivery didn't adjust to the way they could receive it
  • Inconsistent patient experience 
  • Coaching team members to read a room and adjust tone, pace, and vocabulary without losing authenticity
  • Building a team that connects genuinely with formal patients and laid-back patients alike
  • Creating a more consistent, trust-building patient experience across every personality type that walks through the door
 Data 

It's science

One study found that volunteers who were subtly mirrored were 2 to 3 times more likely to help than those who weren't mirrored.(1)
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Being mirrored genuinely shifts how much goodwill someone feels toward us, often without them ever realizing why.
Research on the "chameleon effect" found that people who were mimicked reported liking their interaction partner more and rated the interaction as smoother.(2)
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Mirroring someone actively builds likability and connection.
Neuroscience research on mirror neurons shows the brain is wired to mimic the emotions, tone, and movement of the people around us before we've consciously processed anything.(3)
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That's why connection often happens on a feeling level before a single word is exchanged.
 Note 

From The Experts

"We take it from a subconscious reaction to a conscious action; we're going to reverse mirror in order to create the feeling of connection. We can intentionally but subtly mimic someone with the true desire to make them feel connected, informed, and safe. This is simple but empowering, both with patients and people every day."
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- Christine & Lauren, The Patient Whisperers
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 SERIES 

This is adapted from Weekly: Mastering Soft Skills

by The Patient Whisperers:
Soft skills that make work and life better.
For everyone who works with patients - or interacts with humans.

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 WHO 

Meet the experts

The Patient Whisperers
Christine Scarlett
& Lauren Weaver
Former practice leaders leading change by bringing relational intelligence, soft skills + emotional connection into healthcare as authors, speakers, and upSKILL instructors. 
Get to know them here or connect on social media:
Christine Scarlett
Former CMO
& Director of Patient Experience
From counseling patients, to Director of Patient Experience, to CMO, Christine's worn nearly every 'hat' in a healthcare practice. The driving force? Her love for people... creating exceptional patient experiences and empowering those who serve them.
Lauren Weaver
Former
Director of Brand Development
Bringing her PR, branding, social media influencer status, and love of storytelling with her, Lauren turned how we market and build a brand for ourselves in healthcare upside down by redefining how we connect with our patients, both in practice and online.
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(1) Van Baaren, R. B., Holland, R. W., Kawakami, K., & Van Knippenberg, A. (2004). "Mimicry and Prosocial Behavior." Psychological Science, 15(1), 71-74. (2) Chartrand, T. L., & Bargh, J. A. (1999). "The Chameleon Effect: The Perception-Behavior Link and Social Interaction." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76(6), 893-910. (3) Rizzolatti, G., & Craighero, L. (2004). "The Mirror-Neuron System." Annual Review of Neuroscience, 27, 169-192.