Before someone decides to talk with you, they may be considering several things.

The CPE workbook asks students to think about questions such as:

What is this person's demeanor?

Will they understand?

Will they have time for me?

Will they tell anyone?

Will they judge me?

Think about how you present yourself to other people.

Your words matter—but so do your:

Facial expressions

Body language

Tone of voice

Attention

Availability

What signals do I send that tell another person, "I'm here, I'm listening, and I'm paying attention"?

Being approachable doesn't mean being available every minute of every day.

It means creating an appropriate environment where another person feels comfortable being heard.