NASHUA – Though many in the world seem to thrive on fast-paced and innovative technology, Career Management Consultant and local self-published author Jayne Mattson believes this may hinder people’s ability to build relationships.

After seeing firsthand the struggles her clients had when it came to building their connections, Mattson came up with a very simple, four-word concept: You, You, Me, You.

Essentially, it means when you meet someone new, you spend more time talking about the other person than yourself, which Mattson said will leave a lasting impression.

“It is really about moving the focus away from yourself,” Mattson said. “Imagine, if everyone thought more of others. It would be this great reciprocal relationship. Even with social media, it is so much about ‘look at me, look at me, look at me.'”

In Mattson’s career as a Career Management Consultant, she teaches her clients that networking is essential.

“What I’ve discovered is that people do not know how to build a relationship. They’re going into it saying, what can I do for me, versus what can I do for you.”

Mattson turned her concept into the novel, You, You, Me, You: The Art of Talking to People, Networking and Building Relationships. She will be signing copies of her book at Glorious Possibilities. This will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at 257 Main St. in Nashua.

Though Mattson cited several reasons that she wanted to write a book like this, she said the main reason was because, “We as a society – we’ve turned away from conversations. We’ve turned away from direct human contact.”

“I want us to return to conversations. I want everyone to put down their cellphones and go back to talking to others face-to-face. I realize that we are drifting from that,” she added.

Mattson’s concept can be extended into other parts of life, as well.

“If you encourage just one person to put down their cellphones, even for a night, even for a dinner, and see what it’s like to really talk and really ask someone across the table a question about themselves, you can have fun with (the concept) in a very light way,” Mattson said.

She emphasized this idea benefits more than just young professionals.

“Really, it’s about putting down the cellphone, looking you in the eyes, continuing conversation and remembering, it’s not all about you – it’s about others, as well,” Mattson said.

You, You, Me, You: The Art of Talking to People, Networking and Building Relationships is the first novel that Mattson has published, but she said she may continue to publish in the future.

If Mattson were to write another book in the future, she said she would prefer to write about confidence, which is something she said gets lost among people as they get older. Mattson said she would title the book Confidence Counts.

Mattson’s novel You, You, Me, You: The Art of Talking to People, Networking and Building Relationships can be found on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/You-Me-Networking-Building-Relationships-ebook/dp/B07XB4FNH3

Grace Pecci may be reached at 594-1243, or at gpecci@nashuatelegraph.com.