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Reconnecting in a Disconnected World

 Summary and Resources

igniteEX2025, April 10, 2025 

Post-Conference Guide

I’m glad you joined me for the opening keynote, Reconnecting in a Disconnected World at igniteEX2025! 
This page is your go-to hub for the tools, takeaways, resources, links, and insights we discussed.

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AI Generated Summary of the Keynote 

Below are the AI generated notes from the keynote, Reconnecting in a Disconnected World, generated by Otter.ai with very light editing by Dr. Janel Anderson. 

Dr. Janel Anderson emphasized the importance of connection and collaboration at the conference, drawing parallels to historical events like the Fourth Crusade and the glassmakers of Venice and Murano. She highlighted the loneliness epidemic, noting that despite numerous ways to connect, people feel more disconnected. Anderson introduced the concept of "affinity bias" and the "affinity bias test" to help build relationships within organizations. She shared data linking loneliness to cognitive decline, cardiovascular disease, and increased turnover, stressing the need for strong connections at work. The session concluded with practical tools for fostering deeper relationships and overcoming social isolation.

Action Items

  • [ ] Check in with employees about the organization's employee assistance program.
  • [ ] Connect with other attendees who share similar hobbies or interests (e.g. RV owners, curlers, hikers) during the breaks.
  • [ ] Complete the Affinity Bias Test.
  • [ ] Address any unresolved issues or conflicts with coworkers or others.
  • [ ] Fill out the feedback survey about the presentation and access the additional resources provided.

Outline

Introduction

  • Brian Lassiter introduces Janel Anderson, highlighting her background in organizational communication and her experience as a college professor and entrepreneur.
  • Dr. Janel Anderson begins her keynote by asking why the audience is gathered together, emphasizing the theme of achieving extraordinary together.
  • She shares a historical example from the Fourth Crusade, focusing on the collaboration between Venetian and Byzantine glass makers on the island of Murano just off the coast of Venice, Italy.
  • Janel draws a parallel between the historical collaboration and the current conference, encouraging participants to connect and collaborate.

The Paradox of Connection

  • Janel discusses the paradox of connection, where despite having numerous ways to connect, people feel more disconnected than ever.
  • She explains the loneliness epidemic, as declared by the Surgeon General, and its impact on personal and organizational health.
  • The concept of elective avoidance of social exchanges (EASE) is introduced, highlighting the habitual comfort of avoiding social effort.
  • Janel emphasizes the importance of overcoming loneliness and EASE to improve personal and organizational well-being.

Impact of Loneliness on Health and Organizations

  • Janel presents data on the negative health impacts of loneliness, including cognitive decline, increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and stroke.
  • She discusses the correlation between loneliness and depression, and the importance of addressing loneliness to prevent depression.
  • The impact of loneliness on organizational health is highlighted, including increased turnover, decreased safety, and reduced profitability.
  • Gallup's research on the benefits of having a best friend at work is shared, showing positive outcomes such as reduced turnover, increased safety, and improved profitability.

Affinity Bias Test and Building Relationships

  • Janel introduces the affinity bias test, a tool to assess and improve relationships within an organization.
  • Participants are instructed to make a roster of their team members and rate each person on a scale of 1 to 5.
  • The importance of focusing on relationships with those rated as 1 or 2 (low affinity) is emphasized, using curiosity to build connections.
  • Janel shares a personal story about her parallel parking skills to illustrate the concept of non-obvious superpowers and the importance of curiosity.

Practical Tools for Building Relationships

  • Participants are encouraged to share their non-obvious superpowers with their tablemates to build affinity.
  • Janel provides examples of non-obvious superpowers, such as being a professional singer or a skilled parallel parker.
  • The importance of addressing unresolved issues with colleagues before building new relationships is discussed.
  • Janel offers he book, “Head On: How to Approach Difficult Conversations Directly,” as a tool for improving professional relationships.

Closing Remarks and Call to Action

  • Janel emphasizes the importance of taking the opportunity to connect with others at the conference.
  • She encourages participants to put down their phones, look up, and smile at people to start building new relationships.
  • Janel shares a story about a positive customer experience at Michaels to illustrate the importance of focusing on the present moment.
  • The session concludes with a call to action for participants to unforget what does not serve them and to build deep connections with others at the conference.

 

Keynote Slides (PDF)

Missed a point or want a quick refresher? Click on the image to download the slides and revisit the key takeaways anytime.

 

Podcast Episodes Related to Reconnecting in a Disconnected World

Working Conversations Podcast (https://workingconversations.com or wherever you get podcasts)

Specific episodes related to Reconnecting in a Disconnected World:

Head On: How to Approach Difficult Conversations Directly 

While you're here, grab the first few chapters of my book for free!

Anderson, Janel. (2018). Head On: How to Approach Difficult Conversations Directly. Gale House Press.  Download a sample chapter here: https://www.janelanderson.com/site/headon

 

 

Contact Dr. Janel: 

Phone: 612-327-8026

Email: [email protected]