Stories and Examples of Everyday Connectivity

[recent conversation with a real-life colleague, scene = me walking into an office where said colleague “X” was working] Me: Hi X! X: Hi! [insert some familiar casual and enjoyable chit-chat] Me: Are you still working at your other job too? X: Yes. Me: How many hours at both places…

Connection is all about communication. Verbal, non-verbal and body. Listening is a critical part of language. So ask yourself right now: Have I learned how to listen? Have I ever taken a class, read a book, showed up to learn from a teacher, teaching about how to listen? This article…

The teacher informed us we’d be giving a speech on a topic of our choice. Wide open. Hmmm… I wondered, what would I choose to talk about? This was my sophomore year in college and, well, I could have talked about literally anything. For some reason I chose t-shirts. The…

Imagine a time….   Imagine a time when you met someone new. Imagine that person has been in your life for a long time now – and image what it’d be like to not be connected with that person. How does that make you feel? What would you say the…

One thing I do regularly is connect two people. Here are the usual scenarios: 1. A person sharing a goal or desire with me wants to meet someone who/is __________; I know someone who is possibly that person, so I introduce them. 2. In listening to various conversations, my radar…

If you’ve ever wondered how to start a conversation and are simply unsure how to begin, here’s a classic tactic for you to use. Come up with 3 topics you enjoy discussing and learning about. Take those topics and come up with open-ended questions within those topics to ask other…

A D has it figured out: “I really like your content on connecting authentically… I’ve been in sales for years, and always a top-performer.  The thing is, I think I am one the least “aggressive” sales people ever – it’s always been about “inviting” people to come along, not pushing. …

Connecting is quite simple – a video message of your fine self, sharing your thanks to someone for being in your life, for being supportive, for the last gig, high-five, contract, hug – whatever.

Poor service won’t save great food. And great food can’t save poor service. Why? Serving requires full attention to the task at hand. There’s a big disconnect when the person serving isn’t providing the best of what they can provide – starting with individual attention first. If you’ve ever dined…

“I want to declare email bankruptcy!” My friend C shared this statement with me in a phone conversation recently. And it got me thinking, after I stopped chuckling. What are the ways you communicate? Communication is connection. So choosing the forms and avenues for communication you want to use –…

At the 2019 Art of Connecting Summit, I invited guests to submit concerns, questions and challenges along with things they’d like to learn in advance. Several people did and I’ll share some of the questions here on the blog.   This isn’t so much a question as an observation. As…

High Vibe. What does that mean to you? High energy? High frequency? Crazy? Calm? Vision? Whatever it is, be clear that your vibe is yours. And whatever vibe is yours is how you connect. It hit me as I was prepping for a live event: high vibe isn’t necessarily high…

How many of us get fire-hosed with emails from an opt-in? You know the drill – you opt-in, by choice, and then… you get flooded with emails. Daily, many times a day, toooooo many. Whatever it is, it’s too much for you & not what you signed up for. For…

One thing I love to host is live events. One element of live events I’ve long noticed and wondered about is where people sit & why. At the Art of Connecting Summit recently (a signature live event for us), it hit me: people sit where they want to based on…

“What was great about Uncle Lenny was that….” Thus started a story that helped an entire room build empathy, understanding and a new perspective. It was a room full of good people – a business organization meeting. You know, the ones where you get together on a regular schedule, talk…

Years ago, I started giving a talk called The Power of The Customer Experience. Part of the talk was Words To Use & Words To Purge I recall people literally jumping out of their chairs when I shared these lists and reasons. (love me an enthusiastic audience!!) Here’s the (short)…

“I’m on introvert…” “Oh, I don’t know…that doesn’t feel comfortable.” “We’ve always done it this way.” “Change is hard.” Here’s the great thing about connectivity: it debunks all of the above, and then some. The four phrases above – just a tiny smattering of what we tell ourselves – are…