Connection is Everything

I’m excited to have you join this transformative journey where we’ll uncover the secrets of effective communication and meaningful connection. Over the next 10 weeks, we’ll dive into John Maxwell’s insightful principles, share experiences, and support one another in applying these lessons to our lives.

Introduce your lesson with an optional, short summary. You can edit this excerpt in lesson settings.

When leaders connect with their people, the results are magical. Connection inspires trust,
motivates hard work, and generates positive momentum. Learning to build rapport with
others at a heart level yields benefits, not only at work but in every area of life.

As a communicator, nothing can happen through you until it happens in you. Whatever is
inside of you, whether positive or negative, will eventually come out when you communicate
to others. You have to internalize your message before asking others to accept it.

To make a connection, a leader must expend energy to step toward the audience both
relationally and emotionally. Initiating connection involves preparation and service, each of
which depletes energy reserves. For this reason, connecting requires stamina. Leaders must
recharge in order to have mental and emotional strength to offer to others.

Becoming a connecting communicator is a process. To improve as a communicator, study
great connectors and emulate them. Give thought to what causes people to listen to others,
and work on cultivating those characteristics.

When attempting to bridge a communication gap, don’t start the process by giving your
opinions. Instead, move to where the other person is and try to see the world from their
perspective. Willingness to see from another person’s point of view is the secret of finding
common ground.

Simplification is a skill, and it’s necessary if you want to get through when you communicate.
Shorten your message so that others can remember it. Stick to a main point, and don’t hop
from topic to topic. Also, be repetitive. Good teachers cycle through the same information
until it sticks in the minds of their students.

If you want to connect with another person, you have to be interesting. People tune out when
they begin to feel bored. Learn about your listeners. Step into their world and communicate
in a way that addresses their interests. Also, use illustrations and imagery to get your point
across. Stories have a much longer shelf life than abstract ideas.

Leaders set the tone in an organization by how they approach their work and how they
approach their people. Through their actions, they communicate their character, credibility,
and convictions. People need to be convinced of the passion of their leader before they will
put passion into their work.

Credible communicators walk the talk. They align their values and actions. Over time, people
note their consistent integrity and recognize their character. In turn, a respectable reputation
gives the communicator credibility and affords him or her the opportunity to add value to
others.