One of the most powerful and least understood aspects of business is how a feeling of connection between management, employees and customers provides a competitive advantage. That’s the premise of both Michael Stallard’s 2007 book, Fired Up or Burned Out: How to Reignite Your Team’s Passion, Creativity, and Productivity (Thomas Nelson)—which was CausePlanet’s featured Page to Practice™ in March 2008—and his new, free downloadable e-book called “The Connection Culture: A New Source of Competitive Advantage.”

According to Stallard, the benefits of having a high degree of connection include employees who are more engaged, more productive in their jobs, and less likely to leave the organization for a competitor. His ideas are supported by evidence from neuroscientists—who have discovered that connection has a physiological effect on people—and by the observations of psychiatrists, who have found that business executives who are deprived of connection with others feel lonely, isolated and confused at work. In addition, a 2002 study by the Gallup Organization showed that business environments with higher connection experienced higher productivity, higher profitability and higher customer satisfaction, as well as lower employee turnover and fewer accidents.

In short, connection among people improves performance in an organization and creates a new source of competitive advantage. In this manifesto, Stallard shows how to bring connection out in the workplace by creating a Connection Culture—a culture with the necessary elements to meet our human needs. The three core elements of a Connection Culture that meet these human needs are Vision, Value and Voice. When these elements are in place, it’s a win-win for individuals and organizations.

Read more to find out how you can create a Connection Culture in your organization: http://www.changethis.com/44.06.ConnectionCulture

Michael Lee Stallard is the founder and president of E Pluribus Partners, a think tank that helps organizations increase employee and customer engagement. Formerly, he was the chief marketing officer for businesses at Morgan Stanley and Charles Schwab, where he was a thought leader on the topic of engaging people on the front line of business. He can be reached at mstallard@epluribuspartners.com.