Guy Lubitsh (younger sibling) is an organisational psychologist and Professor of practice at Ashridge Executive Education/Hult International Business School, where he teaches and consults on leadership and organisational change. His work spans sectors and industries including; Novo Nordisk, BskyB, World Health Organisation, Diabetes UK and British National Health Service.  This often involves coaching and assisting senior executives on how to improve organisational performance through increasing their ability to improve personal impact and connecting with others on individual, team and organisational levels.  Guy trained in organisational consulting at the Tavistock Centre in London and is a visiting Professor at the Interdisciplinary Centre in Herzlia. He lives in North – West London and continuously adapts his personal communication style, to connect with his two teenagers and wife. In his spare time, he enjoys yoga and always seeks opportunities, to sail in the Mediterranean Sea.

1. What problem were you trying to solve with the book?

• 68% of employees feel lonely at work – COVID-19 and remote working are accelerating this already growing trend
• Lonely employees report less job satisfaction, productivity and engagement – tackling this is key to the bottom line
• Studies show the main reason executive careers are derailed is a poor ability to form relationships – not cognitive skills and abilities. As COVID-19 changes the way we live and work, leaders’ ability to connect is more important than ever. 

2. What surprised you most about writing the book?

I was surprised by the level of loneliness that people currently experiencing at work.  Recent studies show that 70% of workers are feeling lonely with side-effects such as depression and anxiety. I have learned that even if you are in an open plan office with others, we can’t assume that you are not lonely. Through writing the book ‘Connect’ I have realised the importance of face to face connection. It is part of our natural genetic make-up  (Cacioppo cited in Brown, 2018). If we do not start reverse the loneliness trend at work, it will continue to spread like a virus.

3. What will the reader learn?

You will learn the following;

• Recognize your connecting style, its strengths, challenges, and implications.
• Gain better clarity on the quality of your connection and monitor as it evolves over time
• Connect with your whole self and achieve richer relationships – at work and in home life.
• Build confidence in influencing other people
• Resolve conflict when tempers are running hot
• Increase your repertoire of responses and flex your style to suit different situations
• Work effectively in diverse teams
• Say what needs to be heard when it matters
• Stay curious about the world 

4. What does this look like in practice?

Connect is a practice, easy to use guide to connecting effectively, building stronger relationships, resolving conflict and improving communication – packed with handy tools, tips and techniques. It enables leaders to increase self-awareness of their leadership style, take ownership and improve the quality of their relationships, maintain self-esteem and validate and support their teams. It can also be used as first-aid-kit for relational emergencies in the workplace. The first part provides opportunity to identify your personal connector style and consider how this plays out at work and personal life. It desscribes the need to capitalize on the strengths and risks of overdone strengths. The second part lays out a model of connection. It will give you a practical framework and tools to understand where you are stuck and how you can improve current relationships. The last part of the book looks at implementation of the tools across cultures, generations and connecting in a digital age.