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Remember your first “Connect-the-Dots”
picture book? All you had to do was join
the right numbers together and a picture
miraculously emerged on the page. You didn’t
have to be a great artist to get a recognizable
picture on the family fridge. You just had
to make the right connections. Don't you
wish you had a "Connect-the-Dots"
book to help you maneuver through this rapidly
changing world? Wouldn't it be great if
there were a clearly marked roadmap for
your future where all the right choices
were visible and numbered in sequence? Most
of us would agree that the dots in today’s
world are at best blurred and figuring out
where to go next can be a mystery. But staying
put isn’t an option any more either.
So we are caught between trying to hang
on for dear life and taking a leap into
the great unknown. Life today is not as
simple as our childhood picture book, but
the answers still lie in making the right
connections.
When I tell people that I speak on “Connectivity”,
I get some very interesting responses. Some
think I’m an Internet guru. When I
talk about the web of the future, they immediately
think of connecting up through their favorite
service provider to access the world electronically.
Others think they will learn about mentoring
and networking so that they can successfully
maneuver their way through the system and
rise up in the organization. Unfortunately,
there is very little "up" left
in most organizations and even if there
were, the old style mentoring programs come
up short in helping people build their careers
within virtual organizational structures.
To me, connectivity isn't just about the
World Wide Web or about clawing your way
to the middle. It isn't about moving the
boxes around differently on the org. chart
or just finding more streamlined ways of
doing business. Looking at both structure
and process is critical as we develop a
new work environment but these approaches
alone haven’t fixed our problems. At
best they have left us feeling exhausted
and unsuccessful; at worst, we feel alienated
and alone. Speeding things up and changing
the make-up of the team were great ideas,
but something is still missing. Reorganizing
and reengineering must move over and make
way for the most critical component for
personal and organizational success. We
must turn our attention to relationships,
learn how to connect with others and build
relationships that work in the New World
of work.
Connectivity is about being a part of something
bigger than yourself. It’s about developing
a support system that will help you become
stronger and more sensitive in a world that
has become callused and scary. Getting connected
may be the most important thing you can
do to ensure your personal and professional
success in a rapidly transforming environment.
Building multiple connections will help
you thrive even when a big piece of the
rug gets pulled out from under your feet
or when the world that you have always known
seems to be crumbling around you. Connectivity
is about relationships.
I am exploring the concept of connectivity
from both a personal and organizational
perspective. I have been compiling some
wonderful stories, experiences and thoughts
about the power of connectivity. People
are talking about what has saved them when
they’ve lost their jobs, their friends,
their confidence or their faith. They are
talking about what they have accomplished
when faced with downsizing, mergers, jackpots
or insurmountable odds. Being connected
seems to be a significant element in most
of these experiences. I would like to invite
you to connect up with me and share your
thoughts, ideas or personal connectivity
stories. I’d like to use some of your
insights in my new book. So if you make
a contribution and do not want your name
or story used, please let me know, I would
still cherish hearing it. Fax, e-mail or
post your stories. I look forward to hearing
from you soon. Visit the “Connectivity”
page on my website and get a preview of
what’s to come. Thanks a bunch.
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Linda
Tarrant brings insight, inspiration and
humor to people and organizations in transition.
She speaks on courage, connectivity and
change. Linda can be reached at TOC Consulting
Inc., (416) 533-1532, e-mail linda@lindatarrant.com,
or via her web site at www.lindatarrant.com.
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