Are you leaping for 2020? It’s traditional on Leap Days to wonder whether the woman in your life will decide that today is the day to ask you to marry them. It’s an archaic tradition, especially as women these days, are more and more comfortable proposing when they want to – not necessarily waiting until one day every 4 years to pluck up the courage to approach their intended.
So, what else should you be leaping for in 2020? Well, we live and operate in a very uncertain world. It’s hard to know what to rely on. Our trust in traditional institutions are crumbling, trust in the organisations we work in is fading and those we have tried to rely on around us, have their eyeballs firmly fixated on their smartphones.
According to research, we are probably living in the most lonely times ever. Empathy is at a premium and sympathy is in short supply. It almost seems like everyone around us is ‘other’.
Or so they say …
The news sources which we once relied on as providing objective fact (including the news shared by friends), now appear to spread fake news, alternative facts, lies.
We can’t even rely on what our eyes and ears tell us. With deep fakes, photo-shopped images and AI algorithms; where do we turn and what should we invest our trust in?
In … each other? Now there’s a thought.
Today is February 29, a leap day. I’m suggesting that we leap for … connection.
Leaping for connection is more maverick than you think.
Despite connection being important for health, leaping for it, in the world that we are in right now, is unusual. It can create a great deal of suspicion – on both sides. Socialised Mavericks have large networks of engaged people and seek connection with others because of their love of people, and interest in their lives. This is one of the reasons that Socialised Mavericks are good Maverick Leaders. They genuinely care about the people around them. This is one of the reasons that thy engender trust in others.
They don’t lie and they aim to do things that are in your best interests.
It’s interesting to note that today is #LeapForKindness Day. Where people are intentionally trying to be kind to others. It’s a shame that people are only focusing on kindness for one day. Especially as being kind is one of the foundations for good leadership. When you are being kind you tend to work for the greater good and are more patient and tolerant with others.
What’s not to like?
Pioneers like Wendy Guilhula are trying to change the lack of kindness that she sees in the world. She has a free children’s app Pika Bunny to help kids see and do kindness (it’s a kindness tracker). Wendy will be debuting the business app on 12 March 20 at MIT, during their Random Acts of Kindness week.
I’m excited to see more people take a leap for connection today and everyday. Lack of connection has resulted in a number of people literally dying of loneliness – and it’s pretty bad business.
Make 2020 your Leap for connection year.