Connectable: How Leaders Can Move Teams from Isolated to All In

by Ryan Jenkins

When Covid-19 forced a sudden shift to remote work in 2020, it only exacerbated what had been a long-simmering issue in the Feelings of isolation and loneliness among employees are on the rise, and contribute to a real and growing mental health problem that affects both individuals and organizations. In Connectable, you'll learn how addressing the issues - and finding practical, effective solutions - can transform an isolated workforce to one that's happier, more engaged, and more productive in their efforts.

With more than a decade spent helping companies lessen worker loneliness, Ryan Jenkins and Steve Van Cohen distill their methodology in this book, showing you what's causing today's loneliness, the role inclusion plays in solving it, and how you can decrease loneliness and increase belonging, engagement, and performance with employees at every level - including yourself. You'll how to develop emotional intelligence to show up for others; how to identify lonely or depressed employees; how to create psychological safety for employees; how to create environments of belonging and inclusion; how to create and cultivate connections across teams (in person or remote); how to create connected, driven, and high-performing teams using the four-step Less Loneliness Framework; and more.

Genres: Leadership, Business

Audible Audio

Published March 2, 2022

About the author

Ryan Jenkins CSP® (Certified Speaking Professional™), is an internationally-recognized keynote speaker and three-time published author. He speaks all over the world to companies such as State Farm, Salesforce, Wells Fargo, FedEx, Liberty Mutual, and John Deere.

For a decade, he has been helping organizations create engaged, inclusive, and high-performing teams by lessening worker loneliness and closing generational gaps. Ryan’s top-ranked insights have been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, and The Wall Street Journal.

He is also co-founder of LessLonely.com, the world’s first resource fully dedicated to reducing worker isolation and strengthening team connections. Ryan lives in Atlanta, GA, with his wife, three children, and yellow Labrador.

Find out more at: www.RyanJenkins.com

Reviews

[Mary Tkach · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book for anyone, not only leaders, to be more intentional with how they interact with other people in the world. This book came at a great time in my life as my job responsibilities include the supervision of more people and I'm so excited to use these ideas and tricks in building a strong and connected team

[Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best and most practical leadership books I have read. The book began slowly for me. I was already familiar with the reality that individuals are increasingly feeling lonely. From a more academic perspective, this story was told well in Robert Putnam's book Bowling Alone. I have also evidenced it firsthand as a public office holder we are contacted by hundreds of individuals who may not be very interested in the policy question at hand but are lonely and may just want to talk to someone that will listen.

The book gains speed as it dives into more practical approaches to combat loneliness in the organizations you are a part of. I also appreciate the contrasting analysis of those who feel lonely versus the yearning for solitude. Solitude and loneliness are at the same time yet very different in many respects when observed by a third party.

This last portion was very interesting to me. In the last couple of years I have almost concluded that I may in fact be an introvert even though those that know me would find that laughable. I began to think that because the question I hear posed relating to being an introvert versus an extrovert is "What fills your cup?" Is it being alone (solitude) or being in a group? My problem and blessing is that I am blessed beyond imagination with a strong community. Not only do I have a close family, both extended and immediate. I also have very intimate friendships with brothers in my church and several I have served in the military. I have also developed meaningful relationships in politics and business. I am so blessed with relationships and so dedicated to spending time on these relationships that I yearn for alone time with a book, working out, or smaller activities like walking the dog.

The book will assist me in being a better leader, but I also learned more about myself while reading this book. I plan on rereading this book in a couple of years.

Read as part of a Milwaukee-based book club I joined.

[Kevin Eikenberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are many things people feel they lost during the pandemic. Beyond the tragic loss of life and major changes in routines, the loss I hear about most is the loss of connection. Both personally and professionally, the very real sense of isolation has grown as travel has been restricted and the workplace for many has become a table where they live. Isolation was a real problem before March 2020, but it has become more prevalent and obvious in the last two years.

Read the rest of the review: https://kevineikenberry.com/personal-professional-development/connectable-how-leaders-can-move-teams-from-isolated-to-all-in/

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first 2/3 of the book boils down to, if you’re lonely it’s your own fault for using an ATM instead of going into a bank.

The last 1/3 offers a few tips leaders can use to disrupt structures that isolate people on their teams.

The book is crammed full of zombie stats (“loneliness is more deadly than obesity!” eye roll) while conveniently ignoring anything related to why women might avoid taking to strangers on trains and why people of color have felt relief from micro aggressions while working remotely.

[Rodney Shae Andrews · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s important information and topics that the book raises such as loneliness and how to combat it in the workplace. However, I really felt like this is an example of a book that could’ve been half the length… Not necessarily bad takeaways, but I struggled to get through it at times because of how drawn out some of the chapters were. Just my opinion, other readers probably felt differently.

I also question whether combating loneliness at work is the right approach… I don’t question that loneliness is definitely an issue, and is something I personally have also felt at times being a remote employee. But it seems like that’s possibly a byproduct of so much of American culture being focused on work , instead of being involved in organizations outside of work and being a member of your community. Is the answer to loneliness going to be found in corporate America? Or by individuals in their local communities and families?

[Matthew · Rating 1 out of 5]

While the topic of loneliness and management’s need to address it is important and interesting, the book does not offer any real concrete advice on dealing with those issues, instead offering up shallow platitudes and citations to works not original to the authors. This book would have been best written by academics capable of offering up original research into the topic of loneliness in the work place and descriptive methods, grounded in psychology theory, to deal with said loneliness instead of the fluff that is this book. If you frequently read business or organizational or behavioral psychology books, this book will be a bore. I would suggest either skipping over this book entirely or reading a summary of it instead.

[Ugn Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I completely agreed with the premise of this book:

(1) that we are built for social connection. Loneliness is in fact a biological signal to find our tribe.
(2) that to live healthy lives we need social connection! Healthy people make time for social connection.
(3) that social connection is getting challenged, esp. at work
(4) that there are potential prescriptions for addressing social connection challenges.

The highest of highs in life include people!

A good book, but a little forgettable after reading the Good Life by Waldinger/Shulz and Together by Murthy... I'd start there (although this book is more focused on the workplace).

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic book concept. The first of its kind that I know of. This book explores how loneliness can impact people even at work. There are great stories in here with some humor. Fantastic data and scientific research. Loved the LINK framework. And it's designed to provide realistic applications for this knowledge, to minimize loneliness at work. If you are a people leader, nhr, or learning and development, you will get a lot out of this book. I look forward to the expected sequel.

[Cathy Sites · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this for work. It was fine. Interesting points such as social snacking and Chiobani.