Having recently joined Leadership LA, I was excited to hear more about Leadership Phili's 101 Connectors Project.

Liz Dow gave the background on how the project came to be, the inspiration coming from a personal inscription from Malcolm Gladwell on her copy of The Tipping Point. She  discussed how the purpose of the project was to dis/uncover the hidden leaders of Philly. Straight up research involved and then...

Uh oh.

Suddenly the presentation took a turn. Forced audience participation and basic theater games.

Now, maybe it's me and my Gen X rearing its let me do my thing and you do yours, but notsomuch with the look your partner in the eyes and play a mirror.  Now, nothing against Penelope Reed, I bet she's an incredible teacher and her story about the paralyzed man finding his voice was incredibly touching, but I came for the data, not touching strangers. Perhaps I'm not the connector I thought I might be. (Am I alone here? Any others x-ers out there get the heeby jeebys from this stuff?)

Then back to the presentation...great facts and a request from the audience for a copy of the presentation...and Ms. Dow let us know that she is writing a book and that she would make some of the presentation available, but not all of it.

Ms. Dow I give you traits number 5 and 6 from your connector profile:

5. I grow my network by sharing information and access.

6. I am trusting and trustworthy.

Again, maybe it's a generational thing, but if you agree to speak on a panel about sharing best practices with nonprofit arts administrators and the subject of your work is connectivity, being proprietary with your information and placing copyright warnings all over the handouts feels a little disingenuous. Write your book, then go on a book tour. I'll probably even buy it. But damn, walk your talk.

OK, off my soapbox.

Lessons learned. Connectivity plays a crucial role in leadership and getting things done and their project uncovered some incredible leaders with terrific attributes, but my experience  of the presentation reminded me that emotional intelligence and meeting people on their terms, not your prescribed terms, provides a deeper connection.

Like the one Donna Brazile made at lunch, now she's my boo!