Rob Lawless

In this session, you’ll learn about what influences our perception of the world, why intentional connection matters and how you can create belonging through understanding each other’s backstories.

Rob will share stories of how he’s run into his new friends in places far away from where he’s met them, what he’s learned from meeting the victim of a mass shooting and how he ended up flying in a plane that the pilot had built himself.

Furthermore, you’ll practice connecting with each other using the FORD framework (family, occupation, recreation, dreams) in 1:1 breakouts! You’ll learn the importance of goal setting in intentional connection, and afterwards will feel confident in unlocking the true potential of conversation!

Learning Objectives:

Attendees will leave this talk knowing how to:
1. Identify the 3 levels of value of human connection (sense of belonging, perspective, future opportunities)
2. Utilize the FORD framework to create new connections and empathy
3. Incorporate goal setting and reflection to achieve and inspire intentional human connection

Why This Talk Matters:

For 85 years (and counting), the Harvard Study of Adult Development has tracked an original group of 724 men and more than 1,300 of their male and female descendants over three generations. If they had to take all 85 years of the Harvard Study and boil it down to a single principle for living, it would be this: Good relationships keep us healthier and happier. If you want to
make one decision to ensure your own health and happiness, it should be to cultivate warm relationships of all kinds.

Right now, however, we live in a time when companies are struggling to attract, engage and retain talent. In a time when (per BetterUp Labs) employees who feel excluded experience a 25% loss in performance and a 50% greater risk of employee
turnover. Through Rob’s journey to meet 10,000 people, he’s learned how we can combat this loneliness. The answer lies in simple, intentional, and habitual connection. By constantly exposing ourselves to people outside of our circles, we increase our sense of belonging, we expand our perspectives, and we open the door to new opportunities.

Lying in the untethered bonds of our employees are new ideas, friendships, and solutions to complex problems. We simply need
to facilitate those connections.