Connection has ceased to exist entirely because of our love affair with electronics. Connection requires more than communication and if applied can yield exceptional results both professionally and personally.
When communication is a barrier, connection is a must.
One skill I learned early in my life was Adaptability. I had arrived in Lyon, France to spend my Junior year abroad. After a comical mistake in language 2 weeks into my year abroad it was evident that I would need to adapt to their culture in other ways besides communicating in their language. I spent the next day observing what they ate, what they said, how they interacted with one another and lastly how they dressed. I mirrored them in every aspect and soon I had been accepted into their culture.
Years later, I would apply this lesson in adaptability when I began selling in the hospital environment for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. Since I had to partner with the nursing staff, I started wearing scrubs so that when I conducted in-service trainings I would be viewed as one of them and not an outsider. Months later, I was seen as part of their healthcare team instead of another pharmaceutical representative trying to sell them something. If you want to be successful in connecting with others when communication is a barrier then adaptability is a necessary skill to develop to form strategic alliances and advance your business.