40 WESTERN PALLET
The EI Revolution (Fish Don’t Climb Trees)
Picture this: it’s another day in the office.
I’m taking a break from the grind, scrolling, when I come across a post that catches my attention:
I don’t automate my sales outreach. Am I staying personal or falling behind?
I thought, “I’ll bite.”
From there, I ended up in a thought-provoking chat. At the end of it, my opinion remained unchanged. But what I gained was something better:
Encouragement that I wasn’t alone, and validation of what I’ve been seeing lately.
People are craving real connection. Even things that might sometimes be considered “old-fashioned” – handwritten notes, postal mail – are getting a second look.
Have you ever hit “send” and thought, “Was that a real attempt at connection or just a task?”
Here's the bottom line.
I’m not interested in automating my connections with people – not in sales, not as a leader, not with family, not at church – not anywhere.
I wouldn’t automate that any more than I’d automate prayer.
It’s like asking a fish to use its fins to climb a tree. For starters, that’s just not what they’re made for.
To go a step further, the extent to which technology has already crept into our human interactions (mine included) bothers me.
Recently, my family and I set out to write birthday cards for a great-aunt turning 95.
That’s a big deal, right? 95?!?
So, we bought blank cards, and each wrote a handwritten note of congratulations, birthday wishes, and heartfelt blessings. Once we finished, we signed the cards and addressed the envelopes.
There they lay on the table, each unique. And I thought, “When was the last time I saw my kids’ handwriting?”
Strange, isn’t it? We don’t think much about it because texting, emails, and DMs are so commonplace now.
But you can’t automate human connection.
That’s not how God wired us.
The Scriptures constantly call us to engage deeply – to encourage one another, offer hospitality, foster community, and build unity. We should think long and hard about how to balance technology in those interactions.
Technology isn’t bad, though. It can be very helpful.
Connecting with long-distance relatives over Zoom or FaceTime? Fantastic!
Reading manufactured and curated posts on social media and calling it “friendship”? No thank you.
Consider this:
Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, reported that they spend tens of millions of dollars annually on “please and thank you” interactions with ChatGPT.
Why?
Because people are made to connect, and technology is meant to serve that need – not to replace it.
Healthy Emotional Intelligence (also known as EI or EQ) requires operating well in four key areas:
Self-awareness
Self-regulation
Social awareness
Relationship management
There is no app for that.
We have to leave the people stuff to the experts – people.
So, how about it?
Have you automated your human interactions — or is technology getting in the way of real connection? Does your phone sit face-up at the table during dinner or coffee? When’s the last time someone saw your handwriting? Are you using technology to help you connect, or are you hiding behind it?