Human connection and the power to create change

Rebecca Davis, Head of Programmes at Moving Ahead discusses why human connection is important and looks at how it can create change.

When we talk about human connection, what do we mean? Is it the feeling of being with loved ones or that buzz of anticipation when a job interview appears to have gone well? Perhaps it’s the barista giving you a complimentary coffee because they noticed you weren’t your usual chirpy self? Broadly, it’s all of these and more: human connection is the bond that makes people feel valued and supported. 

It’s clear from my coffee analogy that, on a micro level, human connection has the power to create change. So, can human connection between leadership and employees truly create it too? 

According to the study, Exploring Positive Relationships at Work, by Jane Dutton and Belle Rose Ragins, work relationships, at best, can be a source of vitality, enrichment, and learning that help individuals, groups, and organisations to grow, thrive, and flourish. Conversely, at their worst: a toxic and corrosive source of pain, depletion, and dysfunction.  

It’s a notion shared by bestselling author and thought-leader Simon Sinek, who says the key to success in business lies in the power of human connection. As he told the audience at a Virgin Start Up event for entrepreneurs, "As head of the company, you don't have to know all the answers or pretend you do. Including the team [and asking for their help] makes them feel like they're in control of their own future." 

In the same vein, Prof Megan Reitz, Director at Ashridge Business School, recently discussed with students how their board and C-suite environment can be more inclusive. As Megan explained, we’re in an age of employee activism, in which we’re inviting employees to speak up – but there’s an optimism bubble: as we rise in the organisation, we become disconnected to what matters to our employees – especially the more senior, white and male we are. 

CEO turned author and Harvard lecturer, Hubert Joly, certainly credits a focus on human connection for his turnaround of ailing US electronics giant Best Buy a decade ago. The retailer – on the verge of bankruptcy before Joly came aboard – subsequently thrived, with employees given a greater sense of joy and autonomy. Joly’s book, The Heart of Business: Leadership Principles for the Next Era of Capitalism, includes guidance on putting people at the centre of the business, creating an environment where every employee can blossom, and treating profit as an outcome, not the goal. 

So how can leaders foster human connection with employees to unlock what motivates them to grow and do their best work? As this piece from the Forbes Human Resources Council explained, one key element to growing and maintaining a successful organisation is how you nurture special relationships: “It's not just about satisfying your loyal and potential clients, it's also about earning the trust and respect of internal staff members who have stood by you and your company's mission along the way.” 

This year at Moving Ahead, we (in partnership with the CBI and the 30% Club) launched Leaders for Race Equity; a CEO cross-company mentoring programme designed to help achieve targets for greater racial and ethnic diversity. As part of this, we teach our mentors and mentees how to be active listeners, how to create safe spaces, and about encouraging personal goals.   

It’s the kind of approach one of our 30% Club cross-company mentoring programme mentees says helped her apply for – and receive – a promotion. Mamtha Ethiraj has spoken enthusiastically about how her mentor (Harjinder Kaur, a senior HR lead at LGPS International) asked questions to see if there were any self-limiting beliefs preventing her from achieving what she’d set out to. “Because she was an external mentor, I felt much more comfortable discussing these subjects with her than somebody from my own organisation,” she says. 

Another of our mentees, Pushpita Mukherjee, has described how having connected with a mentor who helped her grab the opportunity to break the glass ceiling, she now urges other leaders to become mentors: “You could transform somebody’s life.” 

I’m heartened by this quote from Team Zoella – the website of phenomenally successful influencer, author and entrepreneur Zoe Sugg, which says: “Human connection fundamentally doesn’t work if we’re trying to be something we’re not. The more we unconditionally accept ourselves – our weaknesses, fears, vulnerabilities and imperfections – the more grounded we become in the presence of others, and that’s how we build better connections.” And sometimes, all we need in business is someone to connect with us, shine a light on our talents and tell us it’s ok to be our authentic selves to help us reach our goals.  

So next time a free cup of coffee puts your day on an upward trajectory, remember to thank that friendly barista for making a human connection – because without knowing it, they’ve probably improved your colleagues’ and your organisation’s day too.