[4]. Listening: If you give people your ears, you will win their hearts. To open the best door therefore to connect with people, LISTENING is the way to go! Listening is a strong observational skill to fully understand the message being communicated. Winston Churchill said, “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and LISTEN.”
[5]. Effort: Connecting with people demands going out of your way and meeting people on common ground. President Theodore Roosevelt said, “It is only through labor and painful effort, by grim energy and resolute courage, that we move on to better things.”
[6]. Generosity: Bishop Fulton J. Sheen said, “Our generosity is measured not by what we give but by what we keep.” To connect with people, you must initiate the giving process and continue to give to keep the connection going!
[7]. Curiosity: In Chapter 12, the Law of Curiosity in the 15 INVALUABLE Laws of Growth by Dr. John C. Maxwell, he said that “Curious people possess a thirst for knowledge. They live in a state of wanting to learn more.” This “want to” learn more mindset is the separator between curious people and others. It is not only the separator, but also the quality that makes them connect with people easily.
I love the way Dr. John Maxwell creatively contrast navigating for others and connecting with others in his book that he co-authored with Jim Dornan, BECOMING A PERSON OF INFLUENCE: “When you navigate for others, you come alongside them and travel their road for a while, helping them handle some of the obstacles and difficulties in their lives. But when you connect with them, you are asking them to come alongside with you and travel your road for your and their mutual benefit.”
