The Lost Art of Connecting

The Gather, Ask, Do Method for Building Meaningful Business Relationships

Susan McPherson

For those tired of tech-driven, transactional networking, a guide to reclaiming the power of human contact―and a new approach for developing lasting and fulfilling personal connections.

Today, people have hundreds of "friends" on Facebook and countless "contacts" on LinkedIn, so why do so many of us feel disconnected? In The Lost Art of Connecting, Susan McPherson presents a paradigm shift for the way we make meaningful connections in business and in life.

While social media platforms make it easier for people to connect with those they want to reach, these interactions are often dehumanizing, feel transactional, and agenda-driven. McPherson explains that we need to go back to basics and connect in an entirely new way, using technology as a tool and not a means to an end. We need a paradigm shift: one in which we look for ways to answer “how can I help?” as well as an opportunity to shine the light on others. Her methodology is broken down into three simple steps: Gather, Ask, Do. 

Shot through with equal doses of humor, humility, and encouragement, The Lost Art of Connecting is the handbook everyone needs to catapult their way to success through relationships. McPherson draws on her own experience starting a communications firm and cites stories of experts like Baratunde Thurston, Tiffany Dufu, Whitney Johnson and Adam Grant, who have spent their careers building meaningful connections into successful enterprises.