My Strength: Rapport Builder

Question: Where can I find shared interests to build a stronger connection to my community?

My Story:

When I decided to full-time reside in San Diego after college, I didn’t know many people, and honestly, starting this new transition felt overwhelming. I knew I needed to push myself out of my comfort zone and put myself out there, so I signed up for a Volo kickball league! I was not great at kickball, and have never played, but I hoped it could help me build connections and use my most outstanding strength of rapport building.

At first, it felt awkward. Most of the players already seemed to know each other and how to play, and I worried I’d just blend into the background. But I reminded myself that building relationships is about being intentional. So, during each game, I made an effort - I’d strike up conversations in between innings about small tidbits I noticed, remembered small details people shared, and stayed later to play bar games and share laughs. Building rapport isn’t just about connecting with people - it’s about finding shared interests and building a community through connection.

Little by little, those casual chats turned into real friendships. I started introducing teammates to friends, creating group chats to share photos, and even spent an evening out with a brand new group of people! Before I knew it, I wasn’t just showing up to play kickball - I was building my community.

That experience showed me that building rapport isn’t about waiting for connections to happen - it’s about taking those small, intentional steps to create them. And in the end, those connections became one of the most meaningful parts of my life in this city.

“It is fun to meet new people, and I am glad that making conversation comes easily to me.” - Mary Clare Boselli