Build Real Trust.
Create Meaningful Connections.
Strengthen Every Relationship.
Discover how to build stronger personal and professional relationships, communicate with greater understanding, and avoid the seven common mistakes that quietly sabotage trust and connection.
Get your free guide, Connections That Count, by Larry J. Carter, and learn practical ways to connect, listen, and influence with purpose.
Stronger Relationships Start With
Better Connections
Meaningful connections don't happen by accident. They develop when people
feel heard, understood, respected, and valued.
Inside this free guide, you'll discover how to:
01
Build Trust From the Start
Make a stronger first impression and
create a foundation for meaningful
relationships.
02
Listen With Intention
Understand what matters to others
instead of simply preparing your next
response.
03
Move Beyond Surface-Level
Conversations
Turn everyday interactions into genuine,
lasting relationships.
04
Recognize What Motivates
People
Better understand different behavioral styles, values, and concerns.
05
Avoid the Seven Relationship
Mistakes
Identify the habits that can quietly weaken trust and connection.
06
Influence Through
Understanding
Learn how to connect with people in ways
that encourage cooperation and mutual
respect.
Are Your Conversations
Creating Connection—
or Distance?
Sometimes, relationships struggle not because we don't care, but
because we overlook what others need from us.
Talking more than listening, making assumptions, trying too hard
to be liked, or focusing on what we want from an interaction can
quietly weaken even our most important relationships.
The good news? Meaningful connection is a skill
you can develop.
Connections That Count offers practical insights to help you
become more intentional in your conversations, strengthen trust,
and build relationships that last.
Three Simple Principles. More
Meaningful Connections.
01
CONNECT
Build rapport, find common ground,
and show genuine interest in the
person in front of you.
02
LISTEN
Go beyond hearing words. Understand other people's concerns, values, and perspectives before responding.
03
INFLUENCE
Earn trust and guide conversations through understanding, authenticity,
and respect—not pressure.
The CLI model—Connect, Listen, Influence—is a practical framework for moving beyond transactional
interactions and creating relationships built on trust.
Make Your Connections Count—
Wherever Life Takes You
This guide is for anyone who wants to develop stronger relationships and
communicate more effectively, including:
Leaders and Managers
Who want to build trust, improve team engagement, and lead
with greater understanding.
Professionals and Business Owners
Who want to develop genuine connections rather than transactional relationships.
Coaches and Trainers
Who want to better understand people and strengthen their influence.
Parents, Partners, and Individuals
Who want to improve communication and deepen their personal relationships.
Community Leaders and First Responders
Who recognize the importance of trust, empathy,
and listening in challenging situations.
Whether at work, at home, or in your community, the ability
to connect meaningfully can make a lasting difference.
Meet Larry J. Carter
Larry J. Carter is a certified speaker, coach, and trainer with the John Maxwell Team, a Maxwell DISC Consultant, and a retired Chief Master Sergeant of the United States Air Force.
Drawing on decades of experience in military leadership, education, coaching, chaplaincy, and community service, Larry shares practical lessons on communication, trust, and human connection.
Through Connections That Count, he introduces readers to actionable principles for building stronger relationships, understanding what matters to others, and creating lasting influence through genuine connection.
His message is simple: meaningful relationships begin when we make the effort to connect, listen, and understand.
Start Building
Connections That
Truly Count
The strongest relationships aren't built by talking more, impressing others, or always trying to be liked. They're built through trust, intentional listening, and a genuine effort to understand.
Download your free copy of Connections That Count and discover practical ways to strengthen your relationships, avoid common communication mistakes, and make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
Request Your Free Copy
Enter your details below to register your interest.
We respect your privacy. This is a prototype request
form; no email is sent and no data is stored.