The Magic of Human Connection: Your Advantage in a Digital World

By: Tammy McClausland

Tim David gave SROA’s keynote presentation on the principles of human connection at SROA’s 2022 Annual Meeting. He said every organization has at least one person they don’t feel connected to. While people may be frustrating or challenging, we can make some tweaks to make them less so. Connection can create consistency and reliability and make our interactions more joyful.

He offered a simple 3-step technique to foster human connection in all your interactions.

1. Speak human (connect): Say the right things at the right time to make the connection.
2. Be human: Be yourself, be authentic, genuine, present, personable, funny. Listen. Personal beats professional.
3. See: See that person as a person.

Even though we know the power of human connection, we’re not doing it, David said. The more areas in your life you can make connection, the better. He presented several important principles about human connection:

• Principle #1: Human connection looks easy until you try it.
• Principle #2: Sometimes tiny little hinges can swing big doors.

For example, the best sounding High 5 happens when you look at the person’s elbow not their hand.

• Principle #3: Everybody thinks they’re doing it right, but sometimes there’s something that other people can see that we can’t see ourselves.
• Principle #4: What you do not focus on, disappears.

Put a “to who” list next to your “to do” list. What connections do you want to connect with for no particular reason.

• Principle #5: People will remember how you make them feel.
• Principle #6: If you want to move mountains, you need to be able to move people.

David said in on org chart what matter is not the boxes—that is, it’s not about recruiting and retaining top talent)—it’s the lines between them (the connections). He also said we need to bring our lives—our passions, interests and personalities—into our work if we’re ever going to contribute anything meaningful. Don’t balance work/life. Instead, do your life’s work.

Fulfilling work is necessary for a happy life and a full life is necessary for successful work.

Every interaction either builds connection or tears it down, he said. “Them” is the single-most dangerous word in the human language. The “sneer of contempt” is the single-most dangerous expression.

About:

Tim David is a magician, author and influential communication expert.

Resources:

Tim David: Magician, Speaker and Author
Sara Konrath: The Decline of Empathy and Rise of Narcissism

Do you think you can use David's 3-step techniqie to foster human connection?

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