by Linda Tarrant
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this story to a friend
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 this
website and get a preview of what's to come. Thanks a bunch.
Linda Tarrant is a keynote speaker who brings insight,
inspiration and humour to people and organizations in transition. She speaks
on change, creativity, leadership, trust, and personal power. Linda can be
reached at TOC Consulting, (416) 533-1532 or via her web site at www.lindatarrant.com.
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2000
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