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.
Linda Tarrant brings insight, inspiration and humour 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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