CONNECTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

  

 Make connections to prevent or solve issues and problems.  Connections can also help create something new.  Getting the perspective of another person can help you define your own.  Businesses are realizing how connectional intelligence can improve their workforce relationships while setting and reaching goals.   Connections with media and technology can also be improved. This type of intelligence can benefit individuals to improve their relationships with family, friends, neighbors, and other groups.

Make better connections through conversations, face-to-face, over the phone or on the computer.  Listen as much or more than your speak.  Discover what you have in common and what the other person likes to talk about.  Ask questions.

Make better connections by writing letters (yes, people still do that) sending emails, texts or through social media. Tell about your everyday life.  Let them know you are interested in them.  Ask questions. Take your time.  Texting is usually brief but better than nothing.  Often details are omitted.  Even if you don't get a timely response, keep writing.  Respond to communication sent to you.  

The younger generation thinks they know about communicating and they may know more about technology.  They may know about face-t-face conversations with friends and their peer group, but they may need practice in talking to those of different generations especially their parents, grandparents, and other family members.  They will also need to develop business skills going out into the workforce.  As a parent or grandparent, remember to listen as much or more than you speak.  Honor other opinions; don't expect your children to always agree with you.  Show them how to think.  Be a good example. 

Develop your Connectional Intelligence.   

SOLITARY CONFINEMENT

Nature confines us inside our bodies, but our minds can take us beyond that confinement.  We can reach out and touch other people with our bodies and our thoughts.  We can use our senses to listen, speak, read, and write.  Communicating our thoughts and opinions should be balanced with considering the thoughts and opinions of others.  

Some confinement is beyond our control.   Physically, it is almost impossible to experience the life of another person and other people cannot experience ours.  Empathizing helps.  Desiring to understand can benefit both parties.

We may consciously or unconsciously allow others to impose a confinement upon us like parents, peers, priests or pastors, professors, and politicians.  Their thoughts and opinions become ours often without question.  Many influencers believe they are doing it for our own good or are opening our minds to their truth; however, they may be inhibiting us from thinking on our own.  

Other types of confinement are self-imposed.  We can take our bodies and our minds into another place, another location, another way of thinking, but we must decide to do it.  Comfort and a sense of security may come with agreeing with those we love and admire, but we may be giving up our own potential to find our own truth.

Media can contribute to confinement..  When we limit our sources of information especially to those that confirm our already formed biases, a type of mental isolation can form.  We need to back up our opinions with good "arguments," listen to the opposition, and form calm, nonjudgemental expression.  We might not be able to persuade or change the minds of others, but perhaps we can expand our own thinking.    

Don't sentence yourself to solitary confinement.