There is much to be said about the power of our connections to each other. Relationships should be more than passing moments where the currency of our exchange is social media "likes". To be meaningful (and authentic) our relationships and the engagement we use to develop them, need to have depth and a degree of vulnerability.
Last week I was looking for assistance with elements of a design-thinking challenge I am helping create, so I asked a couple friends to introduce me to their networks. Their willingness to do so, and then go beyond what I anticipated with the connections they made, was humbling. Being able to pick up the phone and ask to be connected to a someone's network is sort of like showing up at a friend's house and asking permission to raid the fridge. It takes trust, knowledge that there is something more than ketchup and beer in there, and the understanding that you would return the favor if you could. It takes relationships born from engagement.
Why is this important? Because checking the "like" box in our interactions is fleeting, superficial, and has become somewhat indiscriminate. Collectively, we "like" so many things, but do we truly know what we are liking? Unless that "like" is followed by more a more substantive set of maneuvers to actually connect with each other, it will not yield much for anyone. In order to collaborate effectively we need to know each other. Our interactions will be more authentic, and our communication improved. If we claim our purpose is at all associated with the business of making change, the effort necessary for real engagement to occur is worth it.
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