I was surprised to read in this article in The Athletic about finding workplace happiness, in their case, in terms of the teams they play on, that two of the most important pieces of advice in Dale Carnegie's landmark book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” originally published in 1936, are the two things I've often declared as my "philosophies of life" as my nephew Skylar begs us to share: Connections and Validation.

"(Joey) Votto was struck by a passage about connection. One of the best ways to reach others, Carnegie wrote, was to offer sincere appreciation. It wasn’t enough to show up; you had to be intentional."

Research by Jane Dutton, an organizational psychologist, has spent nearly three decades researching this, "has suggested that there’s an even simpler way to foster happier work places and more cohesiveness among team members. The answer is in what Dutton calls “high-quality connections,” a term she coined to describe the brief, positive interactions between colleagues.

"Studies have shown that an increase in “high-quality connections” can improve physiological health and increase measures of energy and vitality. It can also increase resilience and coordination in organizations. In other words, fostering more connections may be more powerful than trying to change a company’s culture.

“'This is such a simple idea, but I’ve been stunned at how powerful it is,' Dutton said."

So, what's new is old. Dale, I bow to thee. Glad I didn't try to write a whole book only to find out you already did 90ish years ago. 

And by the way, thanks for validating my philosophy of life, proactively or maybe retroactively.