A big focus for me as I pull together MattChapman², the HR search firm and associated network, is intimately knowing the talent connected with it. When I started ChapmanCG, I didn’t really want to have to maintain a database. I enjoy memory recall and memorising facts. It is how my brain works and has always been the way.

As I put together the 2.0 (i.e. the second version of what I did before), the baseline for anyone in this collective is knowing their birthday. I think birthdays and anniversaries are special. (In case you’re wondering, mine is 17 July, and I was born in the middle of winter.) Anniversaries can take on many forms and I probably think mostly of weddings or relationships, but the list is endless. What I love about knowing these is it makes a natural connection point with people.

Connection in a Digital World

The ultimate of every connection is physically catching up. This is why human interactions are always special to me and I try to embrace them with as much intention and presence as possible. But when, like most of us, you have a globally dispersed network, the virtual becomes key. We know that tools like social media or texts, WhatsApps, calls or videos, in the modern day, can help amplify and maintain connection. However, the best depth, as we know, is when we see each other in the real.

The Theory of Telepathy

I have always had this theory that “telepathy” is what allows us to send and receive thoughts from others, beyond seeing someone in the real or sending virtual messages. It is the implied understanding and value connection of just “knowing”. I believe in this modern day age we need to trust telepathy to stay connected.

My home, Telepathy, is named after this phenomenon and is an ode to the idea that a network can be connected by telepathy, and that in this story telepathy is a place. It may be a bit "woo-woo", but I believe in it.

Scaling the Network

When I had ChapmanCG initially, when the HR network was small, I knew everyone and a lot about each HR leader. As it grew, I needed to scale a team to help me take care of a growing network. Nodes and processes would send and receive information, which ultimately made it to me. This created a central talent structure for me to stay knowledgeable of the network.

Fast-forward to today, as I create MattChapman², I employ the same principles to stay connected to HR leaders and my broader network, knowing as much as possible to see unusual connections between people, understand their journey and keep the energy of the network flowing. It is a network connected through telepathy: common values, understanding, and purpose.