The Big Power of Tiny Connections: How Small Interactions Spark Awesome Outcomes

by Jen Nash

This best-selling book on the power of relationships includes tons of real-world stories and in-depth guidance for making connections in both the online and offline world.

In this zippy listen packed with true-life stories, Jen Nash explains how the opportunity to connect is everywhere and how we can get more than we ever dreamed of out of life if we make the effort to lean in and say hello.

Get inspired when you realize that making time to connect is the most productive thing you can do to thrive at home or at work. In fact, as you listen to this fun, fast-paced book, you'll see how powerful connections support your happiness, health, and well-being.

Although it's packed with relatable stories and smart snippets of insightful research on how we listen, talk, and crave connection, Jen Nash also gives you lots of practical tips for making connections on a daily basis. Not sure how to follow up with that amazing human you just met on a bus, plane, train, or an event? It's in the book. Not sure how to connect more deeply on social media? Also in the book. Jen Nash breaks all sorts of situations down and really digs into why building our social capital and growing our networks is the most valuable thing we can do to expand our lives.

Whether you want to go to more parties, get a better job, make more money, or be a better person—listening to this book can give you practical strategies for doing it all. A happier, more successful, and more fulfilling life is within your reach, and The Big Power of Tiny Connections will show you the way.

Genres: Nonfiction

Audible Audio

Published July 6, 2022

Reviews

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘More magical, awesome and truly loving encounters await us all’ – Connection is everything!

Canadian born author Jen Nash studied Communication Design at Parsons School of Design and The New School in New York City, and has served as a senior consultant for Fortune 100 Pharma, Health, Tech, and Finance giants, supporting and inspiring Fortune 500 leaders ‘to deepen their communications in support of all the good things in life: happiness, growth and sustained community.’

Jen shares her impetus for writing this book as she states, “I believe that you can’t reap the social and financial benefits of connecting with others without the right kind of awareness, insights, and solid diligent effort. I know because I don’t just talk about the power of connections, I live it.’ And with that degree of energy, the insights provided in this book provide one of the most satisfying and rewarding resources on the importance and rewards of connecting. ‘Tiny connections will make you interesting at parties, get you a better job, make you a better person, make your life more exciting, turn you into a super-connector.’ She teaches us how to work a room, how to be a great listener, what to do when you don’t ‘click’ right away, how to exit conversations gracefully, staying connected, how to connect without leaving the house, how to create a connected workplace, and more.

Why the focus on connecting? As she explains, we all have a ‘deep-seated yearning to be accepted, to belong, to be loved, and of course to connect deeply with others around us….Connection is extremely powerful. Transformative even. More than anything it’s a tool we can use, or a muscle we can flex – to create the lives we want to live…When you put effort into being curious about people, and work to get to know them, you’ll uncover connections that can create unexpected, meaningful, and even magical bonds…Positive habits are contagious, Let surprise be your guide, Stay curious and hopeful, Support employees becoming friends, “I don’t need more friends” and other lies we tell ourselves’ are a few of the aspects of connecting she covers.

Stepping into the, at times, controversial topic of contemporary means of communication and connecting, Jen discusses how we can now leverage different chat platforms and meeting technologies like Microsoft Teams, Yammer, Slack, or Zoom – ‘a great way for companies to organize people, projects, files, and give everyone a bit of that comfortable watercooler conversation. This helps employees get more involved in the workplace professionally and personally.’ In summation she supports good old-fashioned phone calls …and text messaging, and how to connect without leaving the house (LinkedIn, article commenting, online talks and conferencing…). Every form of connecting and the rewards both interpersonally and in business success become available when reading this stimulating book. Very highly recommended.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Review

This was such a captivating and engaging read. The author did an amazing job of striking that wonderful balance that is needed in nonfiction reads between well-researched information and facts given to the reader and the more personal, well-experienced moments in the author’s own life to validate their findings.

The way the author is able to utilize the power of connection not only for people’s careers, but for their personal lives as well felt like the book became a lot more inclusive and well-rounded, and showed how these two aspects of a person’s life often cross over with one another. Aside from a couple of very minute grammatical errors here and there, the book flowed smoothly and showed a depth of research and ironically, a personal connection that the author held with the reader as they learned of the author’s own experiences and witty style of writing.

The Verdict

A memorable, educational, and thoughtful read, author Jen Nash’s “The Big Power of Tiny Connections” is a must-read nonfiction book! The inspiration and expertise for which the author writes are so engaging, and as someone who personally struggles with social anxiety yet craves personal connection, I found the author’s words to be moving and gave me a means of learning and growing in my social skills.

[Sahara Foley]

A friend suggested that I read this book.  Any words of wisdom to help improve myself was okay by me, so gave it a try.  From page one I was very impressed by the excellent writing style of the author. 

So much of the book resonated with me.  Unfortunately, since I'm in my mid 60's, I feel that I've missed the boat for most of her teachings/suggestions.  Still, there can always be room in one's life for growth, no matter the age. 

As an introvert, how many wonderful connections did I miss because being a wall flower was safer?  I'll never know.  And in todays modern world of cellphones and social media, how many young people have totally ignored their tiny connections as they're glued to their screens. Life is passing them by.

Throughout the book, Jen has stories/examples of how some random encounter turned into amazing connections.  I found them quite relatable and fascinating. 

What I didn't like was that she seemed too over the top with her suggestions.  Jen did say that it takes practice and she didn't find it easy either to just start talking with total strangers to make a possible connection.  Still, the vast majority of people will never go to the extreme she has.  But, lessons can be learned to help oneself become a better person during the process. That part I can say YES too. 

If you're a person looking to change their lives, whether a job, relationships, or just better friends, I highly recommend this book.  In my opinion, everyone should read it.  I give it a resounding 5-stars. 

[lizzie Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun and engrossing read. A timely reminder of how much we need others.

Funny witty playful.

In a world where we are more isolated, lonely and depressed than ever before. Where so many of our relationships revolve around a sense of fear or obligation, Jen reminds the reader just how fun making connections can be.

She shines a spotlight on the fact that relationships really are the magic behind what makes our lives rewarding, meaningful and... oh so juicy! And more than that, she provides the tools, insights and mindset shifts that show you how to make it all possible.

A must-read if you want to tap into or grow the superpower of making connections and catapult yourself towards living the life you've always dreamed of.

Highly recommend.

[Hannah Baller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free audiobook for review, so please, take a seat as we delve into the nuances of this interesting book. Written by Jen Nash, a trained public speaker and professional specialising in life coaching and consultancy for companies and published by Big Shift Press in July 2022.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 8 out of 10.
The author of this book, Jen Nash, has covered a huge amount of ground about how to change your life for the good, and how to feel empowered to make use of opportunities to make connections. One thoroughly interesting example the author makes to support her idea is to make connections with others who seemingly may not be a ‘big fish’, one can still have a meaningful relationship. Nash describes how to make a positive connection and cherish that connection, as who else knows what it may lead to?

Nash describes how tiny connections are all around us, for e.g. when we are at school we might need to ‘make nice’ with the friend of the popular kids in class, to be able to be picked for the team we might want to be in, and she discusses the idea of ensuring we stay in touch with everyone as best as possible as this could help further us in our careers or social standing.

You might be thinking: that this comes across as selfish, in order to progress in life we have to take advantage of what others might be able to offer us? Nash goes into detail about making these connections genuine and being interested in people because you care for them and want them to do well, rather than it being for oneself. It’s not all about progressing what we want but supporting others to achieve the best that they can as well, a very humanitarian approach to life.

Over a year ago, I had great interviews with Sebastien de Castell, Katherine Hutson, Hannah Reed and many more authors, which you can view on this blog. They have all shared a lot of insightful advice about writing and getting passionate about the industry. Had I not had a good connection with these amazing writers, I may not have been able to have these brilliant conversations that inspired me to continue with my own writing and blog.

Nash is a fantastic storyteller, and a keynote speaker and you definitely get the feeling that she has plenty of experiences in life to be able to provide this book, and the advice she has written about. Jen wrote about how hiring a coach or having a mentor can be a huge positive in your life, which absolutely makes sense. Should you need advice in life, you go to the person you see as being the most experienced like your parents or grandparents. I have done this in my writing work and asked fellow authors for support and advice on my writing or how to improve my work, so having a mentor can really help you, an idea that companies like Forbes support and universities like Southampton University in England.

You may have noticed from my other reviews, that I love to source my work and the work of others, so references or bibliography are really important to me as a reader to stay informed so I can make good decisions. I do think that the book lacks this, I did have the audiobook and I don’t believe there was any mention of references about how the author solidifies her points, which I think is a shame as it would be a great option to offer listeners so they can go out, be informed and be inspired even more. As we all know, people will experience life differently, and having the voices of others from different cultures and backgrounds included in this book would have been fascinating to me. I think what the author talks about in this book is accurate, with maybe some cultural differences to me living in little England, as I have been able to verify a lot of the information she puts across since listening to the book.

Therefore, whether you’re looking for something different to read or listen to, or whether you want to kick yourself into action to really do that thing that you’ve been dying to do for weeks, this may be the sign you’ve been waiting for to actually get up from your sofa, and just do it.

Recommendation

I would absolutely recommend this book to adults, who have potentially lost their ‘zest’ in life, are thinking about a different career path or even want some inspiration to go out and meet new people which would open them up to new opportunities. There are a lot of tips and advice and while it’s not exclusively a guide about how to do new things, the book is more of an inspirational guide about getting the motivation to actually do the things you’ve been mulling over for weeks, months or even years.

[Ivan M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jen Nash uses her vast experience and knowledge in the subject to lead people into a life filled with communication, and how developing that important social skill will improve their life in a healthy way.

The power of tiny connections, in my opinion, is a must-read for people looking to excel at home or in their workplace. In my personal experience, I am a very social person, but even so, it gave me a better perspective about how what I say or do can impact an individual who's different from me, and how that first interaction would change the relationship. I would definitely recommend reading The Big Power of tiny connections.

[Mia C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Big Power of Tiny Connections: How Small Interactions Spark Awesome Outcomes” by Jen Nash explains that even small connections can change our life forever. Sometimes we don’t pay attention to details such as this one, but from now on, I will. The author explains how connections modify our health, happiness and well-being in general. I was really interested in this book because it opened my eyes towards things I have taken for granted or those I haven’t paid attention to before.
I liked the book, it is interesting, informative, entertaining and enjoyable. Yes, all that in a single book. I recommend it.

[Jennifer Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most people don’t realize that this book was written in a way you don’t have to read all the chapters in order. I suggest you read the prologue then the first two chapters … then jump around the book in any order that appeals. The content is perfectly snackable - and then make sure you read the last chapter. It still gives me goose bumps to read the encouragement that the great Kurt Vonnegut shares. His wise words really sum up just how important connection is for our health, our well-being, our joy, and our ability to live our best lives. Connection truly is central to all that is good in life.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right from the cover, this book transmits good energies, or that's what happened to me. Never had I thought that a book had such an impact on me. Author Jen Nash invites us to think about how the opportunity to connect is everywhere and how we can get more than we ever dreamed of in life if we make the effort to bow and say hello.
"The Big Power of Tiny Connections: How Small Interactions Spark Awesome Outcomes" is a book I recommend to anyone who wants to improve in life. Having a life full of connections helps us to live in a calmer and more harmonious way.

[Alfredo R · Rating 4 out of 5]

A truly helping hand

Jen Nash in her book “The Big Power of Tiny Connections” comes to explain what I thought I already knew.

In her book, the author describes how important connections are for every human being to thrive in whatever area you can think of. This seems common knowledge, however, after reading this book, I deeply understood the importance of working in our relationships. In addition, I learnt HOW to connect with people.

Although the topic of this book does not appear to be a secret, I found it helpful, especially for introverts. For this reason, I give this book four stars.

[Sarah Lewis Winterscheidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jen does a great job of laying this book out! I absolutely loved chapter 3. She gave extremely practical advice, and it was very helpful. I was pleasantly surprised that I do do a number of these things already: but I didn’t realize it! She affirms the importance of thinking positively and saying YES! I can think of a great number of examples that affirm this playing out well. Really would recommend this book!

[Wanda Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read, wonderful stories, practical advice!!

I really enjoyed the practical advice that Jen offered throughout this book! She also encourages readers to step out of their comfort zone.

[Rachel McGrath · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw Jen speak and she's great! Her book lived up to my expectations. I relish in opportunities now to form tiny connections that open up my world to unexpected adventures!