Facebook, Whatsapp, Slack, Zoom, Teams, Instagram, emails, and all the other communication systems that I am forgetting to list right now. In today’s world we constantly communicate with others. The question is: do we actually connect with them? And, what does it mean to connect with others?
For Kemi Sorinmade -leadership trainer, coach, and owner of the Growth Studio- to connect means to be able to build a common ground and to be on the same page with your audience. This building process might often need some time and effort: if we want to connect, we need to take an extra step in exploring the other person’s world. In this exploration, we need to bring with us curiosity, interest, and empathy. These tools will help us unlock a safe common space, in which we will be willing to share, trust, and open up with each other.
You might be asking yourself “why would we want to make this effort?”. Learning to build true connections with others will not only make any personal relationship better; it will also help you become a better leader. Believe it or not, the ability to connect is fundamental for leadership. One of the biggest problems faced by professionals is the inability to get the attention of customers, clients, and colleagues due to not being able to communicate effectively. Kemi’s own journey into building true, solid connections sparked from her realization that in order to become a better leader she needed to communicate and connect better. She soon came to discover leadership and connection are strongly tied together, and are the foundation of effective communication. Once we connect with others, we will gain their trust and their attention, and we will be able to influence them to take action and do what needs to be done.
In learning the art of connection, we need to be able to put ourselves aside. To see things from the other person's perspective requires to get rid of a self-centered attitude and learn to put the relationship first. Kemi’s secret sauce for connection is to focus on the relationship and practice empathy: “Do not let what you have to say be more important than who you have to say it to”. These words resonate the famous Law of Connection from her leadership mentor John Maxwell: “Leaders touch a heart before they ask for a hand”.
If you wish to have a new and unique perspective on the art of effective communication and learn new strategies to grow into a successful leader, join us for the workshop “Everyone Communicates, Few Connect: Communicating for Impact and Results” by Kemi Sorinmade.