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the gift of human connection - 1999

We are living in extraordinary times. With the rise of Internet technology and e-commerce, we can connect people to people, businesses to consumers and businesses to businesses around the globe. We have technology to support group interaction, communication, virtual teams and organizations such as live chat rooms and video conferencing. We can even beam a business card from one hand-held unit to another! The opportunities and potential for connecting people are incredible.

But this rise brings a decline. The use of enhanced communication technology erodes the human element of interaction. What also results is more “to-do’s”. The technology has created more tasks for us to do in the same amount of time. Five years ago, for example, we had to check voice-mail, fax, and e-mail. Today, we not only have voice-mail, fax, and e-mail, we also have pager, cell phone, hand-held units…and the list goes on. The amount and level of information we must store and process are staggering.

People are our greatest asset. They always have been. Yet, why do we spend so little time with people? How can we efficiently use technology to connect with people while balancing our time to meet them face-to-face? I challenge you to re-assert the human element that technology is consuming.

The next time you must send an e-mail to raise an issue or concern to a co-worker, why not pick up the phone? Better yet, meet her face-to-face. Acknowledge a co-worker, manager, or peer for the difference they make. Recognize them as your greatest asset. Pick up the phone if they are across the globe. Bring the human connection back.

Who do you want to reconnect with? Set-up a lunch with your former mentor or coach you haven’t seen in a long time. Give a quick call to the colleague overseas you see only once a year. There’s something in meeting face-to-face (or voice-to-voice) that gives you a lift. It is the gift of face-to-face connection that provides the opportunity for something unpredictable, something human, to happen. No technology can replicate that.

The money and time we invest to build the human element into our organizations at a group level is tremendous, whether it is through Orientation programs, Friday lunches, Company outings, and global meetings. Now it’s time to invest in the human element at an individual level. The rewards are invaluable.

Take this New Year and reconnect with people!

Jean M. DiGiovanna
President, ThinkPeople