Collaboration Starts With Connection
One of the best parts of being on the speaking circuit is the people you meet along the way. Over the years, I have met incredible leaders, thinkers, and practitioners who genuinely care about how work gets better for humans. Jeff Harry is one of those people.
I met Jeff through our shared work as speakers, and from the very beginning, his passion for empowering people stood out. Not in a loud or performative way, but in a deeply human way. His work consistently centers on helping people reconnect with themselves and with each other, especially in environments where pressure, hierarchy, and burnout can easily take over.
That passion comes through clearly in his recent TEDx talk, where he focuses on the power of connection, play, and community. At its core, the talk is a reminder that collaboration does not start with process or structure. It starts with trust. It starts with feeling seen. It starts with creating spaces where people can show up as themselves.
In HR and leadership, we talk a lot about collaboration. But collaboration cannot exist without connection. When people feel disconnected, silenced, or boxed in by rigid systems, teamwork becomes transactional. Jeff’s message is a powerful reminder that real collaboration is built when we make room for curiosity, humanity, and shared experience.
If you are thinking about how to build stronger teams, healthier cultures, or more connected workplaces, this talk is worth your time.
Because when we invest in connection, community follows. And when community is strong, collaboration becomes possible.
