JUNE 23, 2023
Life is about connections. Some of us thrive on making a few good connections while others of us work at making numerous connections. Try making “deep” connections with your mentor or brothers. How do you know when you have made a good connection? Some of you will never even try as it may just complicate life by having “more distractions” in our lives. It is hard to juggle too many connections so you may have to learn to say “NO” occasionally. Whether one on one or in a group, how do you know if you have made a good connection or not? According to author John Maxwell in his book “Everyone Communicate Few Connect,” here are a few signs that may help you know if you have connected or not.
- Extra Effort….People will go the extra mile rather than just doing what everyone else does.
- Unsolicited Appreciation….They say positive things. (Watch out for those “complainers.”)
- Unguarded Openness…They demonstrate trust. Trust is hard to “earn” but is so valuable in creating strong relationships.
- Increased Communication….They express themselves more readily. Don’t just sit there. Do something to show you appreciate the interaction.
- Enjoyable Experiences…..They feel good about what they are doing. Look for the good in others and they might see it in you.
- Emotional Bondedness…..They display a connection on an emotional level. Empathy comes to mind when visiting with others.
- Positive Energy……Their emotional “Batteries” are charged by being together.
- Growing Synergy…..Their effectiveness is greater than the sum of contributions.
- Unconditional Love…..They are accepting without reservation or judgment.
Those of you who can learn to make a good connection will take their relationships, their work, and their lives to another level. Why not start with your own team because the foundation of any leadership is being able to connect with your own team. Once you master this, you just might be able to connect with others. Do it for them and not just yourself because you will want to add value to people. Not just yourself. (This is called “humble service”)
To be successful in your connections, you will need to learn how to really communicate with others. This comes easy for others and difficult for those who only think about what they can get from making a new connection. Want to learn to connect well with others? If I went back to college again, (And college was FUN for this cowboy) I would concentrate on two areas. Learning to write. (Still practicing) and learning to speak before an audience. This is SO important to do but few want to take the time to learn this important lesson. (Try a Dale Carnegie course or Toastmasters group in speaking if you are interested.)
If you are wanting to connect with others, you first need to have the right attitude. The ability to connect with others begins with understanding the value of people. This means you will need to let people know that you CARE about them and are interested in them. Take the initiative. Use humor to get their attention but make sure it is appropriate humor. Learn the principles of connecting by focusing on others, expanding your vocabulary beyond just words, marshalling your energy for connecting and by learning from the great connectors. Find someone that matches your personality and watch them. They just might know what they are doing in connecting with others.
Elevator Guy
Quote for the Day; (You have seen this one before.) “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together fools.” Martin Luther King, Jr.