Mirroring

Repeating the last words or main idea of other person's message is a very useful tactics of mirroring. This indicates interest and understanding. For example, a subject may say, "I'm sick and tired of being pushed around," to which a negotiator can respond, "Feel pushed, huh?" Mirroring can be especially helpful in the early stages of a crisis (or in the opening), as negotiators attempt to establish a nonconfrontational presence, gain initial intelligence and build rapport.