ORLANDO—In an era when it’s easier than ever to communicate—and when AI is driving more of the communications—one expert said there has never been such a lack of effective communication taking place.
Erica Dhawan, CEO of Cotential, shared with Velera’s VeleraLIVE conference her observations and advice on improving communication among individuals and organizations as part of what she calls “Connectional Intelligence.”
“In the last 10 years all of you have had to reimagine how to connect and engage and navigate changes, whether it’s digital disruption or AI’s new competitive landscapes,” Dhawan said. “Member expectations are changing, and I believe the question we must answer now when we think about velocity for a new era (the root of Velera’s name) is no longer simply how we adapt to our new normal, whatever new normal we’re living in, but more importantly, we must ask how do we create a better normal?”
Dhawan said organizations must use lessons from recent years to rethink leadership, teamwork and collaboration, asking what has changed and what effective engagement looks like today.
As an example, she shared a story of an exchange between two co—workers, one of wom misinterpreted a simple “K” email response as passive-aggressive, leading to wasted time and confusion that could have been avoided through direct conversation and clarity.
What is Connectional Intelligence?
Dhawan defined connectional intelligence as the ability to unlock new and unrealized value by maximizing networks, relationships and modern digital and AI technologies. She said the challenge for organizations is to connect across branches, call centers, operations and communities in more effective ways.
She added that while intelligence has long been central to the credit union industry, the rise of AI-generated communications has created the problem affecting all organizations, “AI slop,” making it more important to deepen authentic connections with members and colleagues.
Dhawan encouraged attendees to rethink how they learn, collaborate across organizational layers and expand outreach beyond familiar networks.
“Think about your own role: how do you maximize your outreach?” she said.
The Four Laws
Dhawan outlined what she called the “Four Laws of Connectional Intelligence,” including:
- Value Visibly
- Respect People’s Time
- Practice Radical Recognition
- Acknowledge individual differences
She said valuing people visibly includes recognizing effort and adapting to differences in communication styles, backgrounds and preferences.
Communicate Carefully
- Think before you type
- Deliver with maniacal clarity
- Choose the right channel
Dhawan said reading messages carefully is “the new listening” and that written communication often forms the first impression with members.
“Speed does matter, but thoughtfulness matters more,” she said, adding that she recommends what she calls the “Think Sandwich” approach to communication in an AI-driven environment.
Collaborate Confidently
Dhawan said organizations should maximize collective expertise across silos. She cited an example of a company that created “Cut the Crap” committees where employees were required to propose solutions instead of complaints, noting that administrative assistants generated the most ideas despite not previously being included in executive discussions.
“Great collaboration today is thinking beyond our own silos and titles and asking who else can help,” Dhawan said. “It starts with bringing the right people together.”
Trust Totally
Dhawan said trust remains central to effective organizations and advised leaders to:
- Encourage courageous conversations
- Create hybrid water cooler moments
- Show vulnerabilities
