September 1, 2026
I talk a lot about the value of relationships. Usually, I’m talking about how they help us succeed—opening doors, creating opportunities, providing support, and helping us get things done.
But relationships may do something even more important.
They may help us live longer.
Connection Is Actually Good for Your Health
According to research highlighted by the U.S. Surgeon General, the impact of social disconnection on mortality is comparable to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day—and greater than the impact associated with obesity and physical inactivity.
In the video below, I joke that apparently you can smoke, eat, and drink—as long as you’re doing it with somebody.
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Please don’t take that as medical advice!
But do take the research seriously.
We spend a lot of time thinking about what we need to do to take care of ourselves: exercise, eat better, sleep more, manage stress.
Perhaps we should add something else to the list:
Connect.
Connection Matters at Work, Too
The benefits of strong relationships don’t disappear when we walk into work or log onto Zoom.
Gallup has studied workplace friendships for decades. One of its best-known employee engagement questions asks whether someone has a best friend at work.
Why would an organization care?
Because employees who strongly agree they have a best friend at work are significantly more likely to be engaged. Gallup has also linked strong workplace friendships with better performance, innovation, retention, and quality of work. We don’t suddenly stop being human because we’re at work.
We still want to feel known, valued, supported, included, and connected. Those relationships give us people to brainstorm with, ask the “dumb” question, celebrate the win, and get through the difficult days.
Relationships aren’t separate from performance. They support performance.
Connection Isn’t an Activity
Sometimes we put relationships into neat little categories. Networking is for business. Friendship is personal. Team building happens at work. Community happens somewhere else.
But relationships don’t fit neatly into boxes. They influence how we feel, how we work, how we lead, how resilient we are—and even our health.
Connection isn’t an activity. It’s a mindset that says relationships are a priority.
And when relationships are a priority, we make time for them.
Your Connection Challenge
Think about the people in your life and ask yourself:
- Who haven’t I talked to in a while?
- Who at work could use a little more connection?
- Who leaves me feeling energized after we spend time together?
- Who am I making time for simply because the relationship matters?
Then do something about it.
Send the text. Schedule the coffee. Take the walk. Have lunch with someone instead of eating at your desk. Call the friend you’ve been meaning to call.
Connection rarely requires a grand gesture. It requires intention.
Strong relationships drive strong results. But they also create richer—and perhaps even longer—lives.
And that may be the greatest Connector’s Advantage of all.