Connecting the dots

There are two things that we are really lacking in our busy lives. Making time for learning and making connections. It is seldom that we realise how interdependent these two experiences are. They are both critical to growing our network and adding to our knowledge base. While I spent some time introspecting on how I was managing my learning curve, I realised it was time I learn from people who are at the cross-section of energy and experience - the millennial game changers of our company.

There is no better way to learn, than from a generation that has grown up digital. This translated into the Learning Cafe, a monthly platform where I informally meet 25 young managers of our company across functions and geographies. We discuss an important case-study of one of our brands, chat about what’s new and cool besides catching up over food and drinks. I say, this is connecting the dots done right.

Conversations and more

The millennials, those born between the early 1980s and 2000s, are the youngest and often the largest generation at work today. Their thoughts and unabashed opinion on just about every market strategy, product or P&L numbers has often left me very impressed. In my conversations with these millennials, I realise that they look at the world through the lens of providing solutions.

During our conversation, we discussed a case-study on our brand, protekt, our health and wellness range. While many ideas came to the fore, we scribbled our way to discovering probable solutions to take the brand to newer heights. The magic of having people from different regions, functions and cultures deliberating in one room, offered more diversity in thought and helped create more focused action points. I found that making these conversations more informal and less directional, helped.

Learning done right

Each one of us is learning everyday. What’s important is how we action those learnings. How often do we translate conversations to contemplations and further convert them into constructive processes?

Going ahead, we decided to keep these conversations alive on our online Workplace group. We continue to share ideas and break them into smaller dots that can be connected in the real world. Some of our learnings are being actioned into plans that will be executed soon. I strongly feel that similar to the circle of life, the cycle of experiences and learning is only complete when it is constantly shared with more people. The Learning Cafe is helping me create our shared melting- pot of ideas, experiences and learnings.

Chain reaction

Almost one out the five thoughts we get in a day, is also being thought by another. All it takes is that one exchange of ideas for the next big thing to emerge from out of nowhere. Twitter was commissioned on just this premise. I think, I tweet, you think, you tweet, and together we make the conversation trend across the globe. This is the power of making connections. We underestimate the power of expressing, confessing and sharing. You never know where the next Big idea may be held up. Just like Rome was not built in a day, learnings won’t emerge from one conversation. The ‘magic' is in discovering the many aspects that connect us and how we are unaware of the potential they hold in creating better ideas and solutions.

Six degrees of separation

The concept of six degrees of separation, suggests that each one of us in the world is six or fewer steps away from each other in making a connection. It took us one step each at the Learning Cafe to begin our own cycles of connection. Many of us found new friends while all of us connected over cracking ideas or discovered something new about a person, function or business imperative. We may have parted in the real world but virtually there is no stopping you from keeping those connections alive, marking out new dots and reducing those layers of distance that prevent great learnings and connections to develop.