It’s becoming common knowledge that connection isn’t just a ‘soft skill’ that helps your co-workers like you more. Connection is at the root of successful teams, relationships, and businesses. Building strong connections is what turns the world around and makes a company strong.
Good connection skills is a superpower – not only does it build loyal and dedicated teams, but it enables organisations to engage with their client’s feelings. When you’ve got this right, you’ve got customers for life. So how do you tap into connection?
In Robin Sharma’s Book “The Greatness Guide 2”, he speaks about the rule of ABC: Always Be Connected. Sharma creates a picture of this connection as a way in which you approach the world – that means everyone. From employees to loved ones, to strangers, your attitude must seek out ways to create a spark of connection that is tangible.
A deep, trusting connection takes time to build. It requires a commitment to consistent, trust-building behaviours. There are window opportunities every day for us to either build or break trust, and the accumulation of these behaviours is what matters in the end. Brene Brown, a professor, author, and absolute connection guru, likens this to a sweetie jar. Every time you show trust-building behaviours, a sweetie gets added to the jar. Every time you break someone’s trust, a sweetie gets taken out.
You can create a spark of connection within minutes of engaging with a person. It’s the type of connection that you might have with a friendly cashier who makes you smile because of her kind compliment. It’s the type of connection that breeds hope in humanity. It’s incredibly contagious.
Both these types of connections are built with similar behaviours and both work in unity.
Listen With Heart
“Listening is in so many ways, the social equity of the world-class cultures that evolve into world-class organisations.” – Robin Sharma
We’ve all done this: someone’s talking to you and your phone buzzes. Without a second thought, you pull it out and read the message. It might sound small, but the impact of this action is profound. When you listen with heart – where you really hear and feel what the other is saying – the energy between you shifts. The other person feels a sense of “I am seen, I am heard, I am understood, I am valued.”
This spark of connection is invaluable and the lack of it is very often the reason team members can feel undervalued in the workplace.
Next time you are having a conversation with someone, I challenge you to engage with them wholeheartedly. Meet their eyes and hear what they’re saying without rehearsing a response or losing concentration.
How does building strong connections translate into happy customers?
“People buy with their emotions.” – Robin Sharma
It’s as simple as that. We do things because of how it makes us feel. For example, you might buy a certain shampoo because the smell of it makes you feel fresh and clean, ready to face your day. Or you might visit a certain coffee shop because the waitrons there remember your name and always ask about your family, making you feel special.
If you don’t listen to your customers and how they feel, or even more importantly – how you make them feel – you’ll miss the chance to connect with them. And chances are, if you listen closely enough, you’ll find many of your customers saying a similar thing. This is how you can connect with their identity, and how your service or product ties into it – what it makes them feel and why they buy it.
How does building strong connections translate into happy employees?
Without a doubt, employees are more loyal to an organisation they feel valued in as opposed to an organisation where they feel disposable. Only connection can create this sense of being valued.
It’s not always the easy road and requires a level of vulnerability from both sides. But when you consistently show trust-building behaviours towards your team, the reaction might be diabolical.
Your employees may go from being semi-engaged to deeply invested. They may innovate and create without being asked. They may volunteer to pick up the slack and go the extra mile, showing enthusiasm for it.
When you cultivate strong connections, the opportunities are endless. And if you aren’t convinced yet, just read our blog on how a supportive environment creates a remarkable mindset.
A Final Thought
We’ve spoken about a lot here, so here are some key takeaways:
- Seek daily opportunities to spark a connection with everyone you come into contact with. You’ll find success and happiness follow you.
- Make sure your actions contribute towards building trust (think of the sweetie jar)
- Listen with the heart. Put aside distractions and make others feel heard.
- Always listen to what your customers are saying and how you make them feel
This time of year is the perfect opportunity to build strong connections. As you find your team reflecting on the year, listen to their experiences. Look out for what your customers are needing. And always embrace an opportunity to create a spark of connection.