Making connections with other people is vital to have a thriving business. In fact, it will set you apart from your competition. This last week, I had the privilege of speaking for employees at the new Chapter Aesthetic Studio in Coralville, Iowa. They opened this month and I spoke to them about “The Magic of Connecting.” To their surprise, I began by pulling out giant Lego bricks. If you have children, then sometime in your life raising your children, you have stepped on LEGO bricks. Or maybe you found LEGO bricks under the couch or even years later under the couch cushions. LEGO bricks connect to one another; in fact, they were designed perfectly to fit together so well. When two bricks are pressed together, the connection is made. You can even go back to 1958 and find a LEGO brick that will still connect to today's LEGO bricks. That is an impressive connection!
There are so many benefits to making connections with people. Here are a few:
*Makes others feel comfortable
*Shows others you care
*May open the door to new opportunities
*May lower anxiety
*Improves well-being
*Creates trust
*Validates another person
*Helps problem-solve
*Shows you value another person
*Creates enthusiasm
Are you making connections with the people you work, with whether they are your clients, customers, patients, employees, co-workers, boss, or vendors? How can you make those connections? First of all, learning the names of people is a great way to connect with them. Go through the grocery store lane and before you leave, tell the cashier, Thank you, “Sally,” or whatever their name might be. They will do a double-take and be surprised you said their name. Plus, you’ll get a smile.
Walt Disney was a master at this. The biography How to Be Like Walt tells how he thought it was very important to know every employee’s name. When Disneyland began to grow, he was known to go into Human Resources and memorize names with employee pictures. He was intentional about making a connection with each employee.
In the TEDx Talk with Kate Forrest, “Call People by Name,” she illustrates what happens to your brain when someone calls you by name. When you hear your name, the middle frontal cortex is activated. Your brain lights up! And you light up! I highly recommend this excellent TEDx https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwRlHLBweoI, which teaches you how to memorize people’s names with her “ALI” system.
Begin today making connections with people by calling them by name and you’ll see the Magic of Connecting.
Have a great week!
Desi
The Attitude Adjuster