What It's All About

As I went round and round on the name for our corporate training division, one theme kept coming up from all the research I'd been doing...the theme of connection. Over and over again, I find this is want human beings really want to do... and must do, to build sucessful teams and to live their best life. So, Quantum Connections it is.

In fact, when it comes to life -- working with groups, building and leading teams, and just plain getting along with other people, it seems that 5 C's apply.

Here they are, in a nutshell & in no particular order:

Communication
This one is huge, people. Whether it's a corporate or community group, church or volunteer organization, or just the four folks in my immediate family, communication (or more accurately, lack thereof) is the main thing.

Change
How we respond to and roll with change is critical to our success in life, whether at home or work. Change is surely constant. We can go with it or resist it, but it's coming, regardless. Being able to anticipate, adapt and even encourage change is critical, especially given the pace of life today.

Connection
Fundamental. Author and trainer extraordinaire Jim Cain recently reiterated the importance of connection for employees in the workplace in an article entitled What's Next, appearing on his web site Teamwork & Teamplay. He maintains there are three things necesary for highly effective teams:

1. A clearly identified, articulated and worthy task.
2. The opportunity for growth, advancement and building new skills.
3. The opportunity to create connection and maintain relationships with other members of the group.

In fact, if connection can improve performance, the lack of connection can prove positively harmful. Along with doctoral students Paul Harvey and Jason Stoner, Florida State University management professor Wayne Hochwarter surveyed more than 700 people about their opinions of supervisor treatment on the job. The survey generated the following results:

• Thirty-one percent of respondents reported that their supervisor gave them the "silent treatment" in the past year.
• Thirty-seven percent reported that their supervisor failed to give credit when due.
• Thirty-nine percent noted that their supervisor failed to keep promises.
• Twenty-seven percent noted that their supervisor made negative comments about them to other employees or managers.

Even worse, according to the researchers, "Employees stuck in an abusive relationship experienced more exhaustion, job tension, nervousness, depressed mood and mistrust."

Connection is not just the right thing, it's critical to personal and professional happiness and success.

Compassion
This goes along with the whole idea of Servant Leadership (ever read any Robert Greenleaf?)-- we've got to reach out to others.

Courage
Kind of a biggie! We can talk about all this stuff 'til the cows come home but that doesn't make it happen. Execution of great ideas/profound thoughts requires movement from Point A to Point B, which may require certain skills, but without courage, we've got nothing anyway.

Not a bad list for a fledging leader to keep in mind. What C's would you add?