Lasting Connection Is the Real Product—Why Humanizing Every Interaction Matters Most

Imagine waiting in a long line at the post office while everyone is absorbed in their phones, heads down, voices flat. The clerk, on automatic, moves packages without looking up, and you’re tempted to do the same. But something shifts when you pause, meet the clerk’s gaze, and ask, 'How’s your day going?' A small, genuine smile appears. Your package gets handled just a little more carefully. It’s nothing grand; in fact, it almost feels too ordinary to be worth mentioning, but your mood lifts too.

All around us, the industrial world has trained people to value efficiency and anonymity—get in, get out, don’t make a fuss. Yet research in positive psychology points to micro-moments of human connection as the fuel for trust, wellbeing, and even business success. Companies—and families—where people feel seen outperform those where everyone stays invisible.

The “connection economy,” as Godin calls it, isn’t about transactions or stuff. It’s about the invisible thread that forms whenever two people truly see one another. The 30 seconds it takes to treat someone as a person, rather than a function, might matter more than hours spent refining products or presentations.

Connection is now the most scarce—and valuable—resource we have.

Tomorrow, during an ordinary routine—buying lunch, checking in at work, passing a neighbor—pause long enough to genuinely acknowledge the other person. Offer something real: a small compliment, a question about their day, or specific thanks. Note how the energy of the moment changes, for you and for them. The next time you catch yourself sleepwalking through a transaction, try again. See if these subtle connections start making your day richer.