The Power of Connection: Bridging Individuality and Community
Volume 15: Telling it Like it Is - The Power of Connection: Bridging Individuality and Community
This is Emotional Adventures in the Office, where we are committed to addressing real struggles that people face at work. Our approach will vary. Sometimes we will ask questions, other times we will make bold statements. We're always looking for new topics to delve into, so if you have any suggestions, please let us know.
Stop Doom Scrolling and put the phone down - or use it for a better purpose.
The art of genuine connection has become lost in personal and professional life. Building connections is not rocket science, but it does take effort. It requires showing genuine interest in someone else. Connecting well improves individuals and business results.
Connection by definition is the process of linking one thing with another; in human terms, it is about knowing someone and being known by them in return. It does not take extraordinary empathy to do this. It only takes showing interest.
People feel valued when others show interest in them.
Most of us are focused on ourselves and our own stories. The secret to establishing connections is how you encourage others to feel interesting. This isn't about putting a focus on someone, it's about your willingness to ask questions and engage genuinely with the answers. For example, asking someone about the best sandwich they ever had or what recent event made them laugh out loud does more than break the ice-it shows that you care about their experiences and feelings, no matter how trivial these things might seem.
Empathy in connection
Empathy goes beyond sharing similar experiences; it's about connecting with the underlying emotions that someone else is feeling. You don't need to have experienced exactly what another person has gone through to empathize. Whether it's joy, grief, or disappointment, if you've ever felt it too, you can connect. This type of emotional resonance is potent and can transform the smallest interactions into meaningful connections.
Building the skills
Creating connections is not serendipitous. It is the result of cultivating specific skills:
Asking good questions and showing genuine curiosity about others' lives.
Listening well by engaging fully in what others are saying without rushing to respond.
Emotion matching when appropriate by reflecting or mirroring back the emotions expressed by others that validate their feelings.
Creating relational dialogue by moving beyond superficial topics to discuss things that matter.
Delighting in discovery by taking pleasure in learning more about others.
How might you implement some of this in your day to day?
What questions could you ask someone this week to deepen your connection?
How might just simply learning and using people's names change the dynamics of your interactions at work or in your community?
What will you do?