Face to Face: The Art of Human Connection
Author: Brian Grazer. Publishing year: 2019.
Face to Face: The art of Human Connection is a personal testimony of Hollywood producer Brain Grazer. The revelation that making eye contact when communicating with people increases connection has changed his life. He is certain it can do the same for us.
Face to Face
In our interconnected world we sometimes forget that the most important connections are the human ones. From finishing an education to searching a job and even finding a partner in life, in person connections are essential.
“[…] getting to know one another is almost always the most effective path to getting anything done, both in the near term and the long run.”
Unfortunately our modern impulses make us look away, for the next interesting thing:
“Instead, the modern impulse is for quick, transactional communication.”
Brian’s Grazer most obvious solution to establishing a connection with another person is having a face to face conversation. Even more, making eye contact is essential.
“A major reason we are becoming so bad at forming connections is because we are losing the ability, the opportunity, and the desire to look others in the eye.”
We mistakenly think social media and online communication can replace in person communication. Therefore, this sometimes makes us feel disconnected and lonely:
“Despite the fact that we’re more “connected” than ever before, isolation and loneliness are increasingly serious issues for many of us.”
Connection Means Eye Contact
According to Brian Gazer the most certain way to establish a connection is to look the person in the eye. People are hard wired to read each others emotions when we make eye contact. We can also pay better attention to the other person when we make eye contact.
“One look is enough to capture someone’s attention, spark engagement, ignite attraction and create a bridge to real connection.”
Finally, almost everything in your life depends on how good you can establish a connection to another person:
“[…] your ability to make eye contact can be the determining factor in whether or not you get a job, earn the trust of your coworkers, or get the greenlight on a project you’re pitching.”
Personal Stories and Experiences
Brian Grazer offers us a glimpse of his Hollyowd producer life. He tells us stories of how he met famous people. Furthermore, his strategy of making eye contact helped him establish a relation with them.
“[…] being able to look someone in the eye puts me in a mindful state and makes me more self-aware.”
Starting with stories of his education years, and continuing with his latter career, Brian Grazer offers a full picture of his personal experiences. Throughout his story the importance making eye contact is never underestimated:
“Amazingly, the more I connect with others, the more I got out of my education and the more confident I became. It was like I had a superpower that was just starting to emerge.”
The author centered this book on personal life experiences. Even if your own life might not be as glamorous as Hollywood producer’s, we can all use more connections with the people around us. Making eye contact is our best tool and it’s always at our disposal.
“[…] staying connected should be just as important as exercise or a good diet when it comes to taking care of ourselves.”