Matchingpacing

Matching is a person providing a subtle attunement to the other's tempo, language, and energy. Its roots lie in NLP; the basic idea is that trust and closeness are often built through an unconscious resemblance. To accompany someone who speaks quickly at a rhythm close to theirs, or to approach a tense person with a calm but not distant tone, gives the other the feeling "this person is in the same place as me." Matching is not imitation; when overdone, it looks artificial and backfires. The coach uses it, to build a genuine bond with the client, without forcing and in a natural way.