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Published Oct 29, 2019

The Art of Human Connection | Brian Grazer and Lewis Howes

Award-winning producer Brian Grazer shares his remarkable career journey, personal transformation, and the art of human connection, emphasizing curiosity, humility, and face-to-face interactions as keys to his success.
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  • Building Relationships

    emphasizes the importance of humility and being present in building relationships. He shares that being interesting and genuinely interested in others is crucial for meaningful connections. Grazer also highlights the significance of empathy in his work, particularly when choosing directors who prioritize others' feelings over their own appearance 1.

    You have to be interesting because, you know, how do you captivate people? By just asking questions. That's dopey. No, when people just go, I want to meet you, and they just ask questions, I go, no, it's not going to conversation. We're hanging out. We're knowing each other, we're sharing. We're building to our best date collaborating together.

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    Grazer's approach to problem-solving in creative projects also reflects his commitment to maintaining strong personal connections 2.

       

    Curiosity

    Curiosity has been a driving force in Grazer's success and ability to connect with others. He explains that genuine curiosity helps in evangelizing ideas and missions, making people feel captivated and valued 3. Grazer's practice of meeting a new person every week for 35 years has enriched his life and work, providing valuable insights and fostering meaningful relationships 4.

    You have to connect to people's hearts to give them where they're gonna give you hundreds of millions of dollars, which I'm asking for. Some of my movies cost well over $100 million. And it's an idea. So you have to evangelize your idea and mission.

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    This relentless curiosity has also led to personal growth and self-discovery, as seen in his reflections on the movie "8 Mile" 4.

       

    Eye Contact

    Grazer believes that eye contact is fundamental to forming genuine human connections. He recounts how a simple observation from Ron Howard about his lack of eye contact during meetings led to a significant change in his behavior 5. This change underscored the importance of making others feel seen and valued.

    When I look at you, I'm telling you, that's like saying, I see you as a human being. You matter.

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    Grazer also discusses the negative impact of smartphones on our ability to connect, emphasizing that true connection requires undivided attention 6.

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