Understanding Different Types of Connection: A New Approach to Building Meaningful Relationships
One of the components of the Village subscription is a monthly invitation to what I call a “connection event.”
In this article I’m going to explain my idea about what this is and why I think you might enjoy it.
In our increasingly connected yet disconnected world, some people share with me that they struggle with “peopling” – the act of meaningfully connecting with others. Whether it’s networking events that feel forced, social gatherings that leave us drained, or online communities that never quite deliver on their promise of connection, something seems to be missing from how we are approaching establishing new human relationships.
Amy’s Three Buckets of Connection
In an attempt to create a great thing Amy boldly decided to broadly categorize connections into three distinct types:
- Personal Connections
- Transactional Connections
- Professional Networking Connections
The Village focuses primarily on personal connections.
Why Do Some People Say They “Hate” Connecting?
What if the discomfort many feel around networking or social situations might not begin from an inherent dislike of connection, but from misaligned expectations and contexts. For example, when someone approaches you with a sales pitch at a social gathering, or tries to form a deep personal connection in a professional setting, it creates a little chasm of discord because the “connection buckets” are being mixed inappropriately.
The Inherent Power of Shared Experiences
Research, real-world common sense experience show that meaningful connections often form through shared experiences and common goals. From historical examples like communities uniting during World War II to modern team-building exercises, shared projects and experiences can accelerate and strengthen bonds between people.
However, the key lies in creating the right environment for these connections to form naturally. Simply putting people in proximity to each other – whether in a running club or networking event – doesn’t always instantly or automatically create meaningful connections.
Creating Intentional Connection Events and/or Spaces
For some reason the word we use today for online stuff is “containers.” It’s not a great word but it’s also fairly effective. A subscription to the Village includes an invitation to a monthly online event or container or space. Use whatever word you like.
Howard Schultz famously created Starbucks to be what he called a 3rd space. But I think we all know that you can sit in a coffee shop all day and never actually talk to anybody … not even the barista if you order online.
In order to foster genuine connections, events and spaces need to be intentionally designed with connection in mind. This means:
- Facilitating meaningful interactions between participants
- Creating shared experiences or activities
- Ensuring everyone feels safe and comfortable
- Establishing clear expectations about the type of connection being fostered
- Maintaining appropriate boundaries and consent
Honoring The Role of Consent in Connection
Consent plays a crucial role in building meaningful connections. This includes:
– Asking permission before initiating further contact
– Respecting boundaries and preferences
– Honoring when someone chooses not to engage
– Being clear about intentions and expectations
As a facilitator Amy is committed to being more intentional about how we approach different types of connections, we can create more meaningful relationships while avoiding the awkwardness and discomfort that often comes with mixing different types of connections inappropriately.
Join the Village For Our Connection-Focused Community
Are you ready to experience a different kind of connection? The Imperfect Adulting Village offers carefully curated and facilitated connection events designed to help you build meaningful relationships in a safe, supportive environment.
Subscriptions open at the end of each month. Information about how to subscribe is sent by email so join the email subscription and get all the information about how you can be a part of The Village.